Supernatural Season 11 Episodes 1-3, The Darkness
by pastann
Summary: Season 11 alternate episodes in a story-like format. Time travel fix-it crack. Canon-compliant to s10e23. Freeform. Gen. Rated M for canon-typical violence and disturbing themes, major character death. Sam, Dean, Castiel, Claire, Crowley, Jody, Donna, Hannah, Inias, Rowena, Eli, Cyrus, Metatron. WIP episode 3.
1. Episode 1, The Darkness, Part 1

**The Road So Far**

Inside a shadowy barn, Tamiel flicks his angel sword forward. The blade slips into Amelia's body.

"Nooo! Mom!" Claire cries out. Claire wraps her arms around her mom's body from behind, stepping backward, dragging her mom away from the angel.

The scene jumps. Castiel, Sam, and Dean struggle fighting Tamiel. Claire picks up the grigori angel's sword and stabs him in the back. Light flickers in Tamiel's body and dies out.

When Amelia's soul reaches Heaven, Amelia and her husband Jimmy are reunited.

In front of the taxi waiting to take her to Jody Mills' house, Claire looks on as Dean pulls Tamiel's angel sword out of her duffel bag and says, "You didn't think I'd notice you took this?" He puts the old, thick book that he gave her for her birthday into her bag.

In an abandoned Mexican restaurant in Nevada, Sam kneels before Dean, ready to die. Dean holds Death's scythe. Death stands behind them. Dean swings the scythe. It slices through the air above Sam's head. The tip whirls around and punctures Death. His body shatters, blown apart like chaff.

Inside the abandoned factory, Rowena slits the throat of the one person she loves and completes the spell to undo the Mark of Cain.

Lightning bursts out of the Mark of Cain on Dean's arm as the Mark unwrites itself. The brothers stagger out of the abandoned restaurant in a daze.

Black smoke rises out of the earth like the bars of a cage. The smoke coalesces into a massive black cloud. "Dean!" Sam yells. They run to the Impala. The Impala's tires spin helplessly in a pothole. The cloud grows bigger. Wind roars like a tornado. The smoke spills over the Impala.

 **Season 11 Episode 1: The Darkness, Part 1**

In the abandoned factory, Rowena gloats and escapes, casting Impetus Bestiarum on Castiel. Angel blade lifted in one hand, Castiel snarls and approaches Crowley. Crowley snaps his fingers to teleport, but Rowena's spell holds him in place. Castiel's face is masked with blood from the Impetus Bestiarum spell. The angel looms over the cringing demon, his blade raised overhead to strike. Crowley raises his arms uselessly overhead. "Castiel!"

Castiel tilts his head back. The light of his grace rises from his mouth and pours upward in a white stream. As the last glimmer of the grace leaves Jimmy Novak's body, the body loses cohesion and splatters on the floor and over Crowley.

With a stunned look on his face, Crowley spits out a mouthful of blood and flesh.

Castiel streaks into the air.

 **Sioux Falls, SD  
**

 _A two-story house._

Claire sits on the edge of her bed inside a small bedroom in Jody Mills' house, dressed in jeans and a faded black t-shirt. The grigori's angel sword rests across her legs in a leather sheath, while her duffel bag lies on top of the bed. She flips through the book Dean gave her, _The Enochian Myth_. The open page reads:

'and the Seraphim Cassiel bore witness to the killing

of Abel by Cain. And to mark this act of obedience

to his will, Lucifer gave Cain a brand upon his right

forearm, as God had marked the Morningstar, his-'

Claire's head jerks up. A flickering streak of light enters the room through the window and circles above her head.

"Castiel," Claire says sharply, recognizing the feeling of the angel's light. She answers its unspoken question. "Yes."

The light pours into Claire's open mouth. She closes her mouth as the trailing tendril of grace enters her body.

Castiel closes the book and sets it inside the open duffel bag. She takes the angelsword in its sheath, puzzled for a moment by the fastening then slips the machete sheath onto the left side of her belt. Looking awkwardly down at her new vessel, she fumbles in a pocket. She had worn this vessel once when Claire was a child and the combination of similarity and difference in this body is jarring. She draws out her cell phone and dials a number.

 **A Field in Nebraska**

In the stubbled wheat field near where the Mark of Cain was broken, the cloud of darkness roils and expands. The center clears, revealing a liquid darkness. Wind rushes into the darkness as if it is an empty space. Chunks of earth and trees fly into the center of the void.

 **Sioux Falls, SD**

 _Claire's bedroom_

Sam's voicemail message begins to play. Castiel hangs up and dials another number.

 **An Abandoned Factory**

Crowley's cell phone buzzes in his pocket. His eyes burn red, then fade back to normal. He staggers, the spell freezing him in place is broken. He steps away from the remains of Jimmy Novak's body.

Crowley flicks body goo off his hands before reaching into his suit pocket for his phone. "This had better not be a telemarketer."

"It's Castiel. Something terrible is happening."

"More terrible than my dearest mother spelling you to kill me and making off with the Book of the Damned?" Crowley says pretentiously.

 **Sioux Falls, SD**

 _Claire's bedroom_

In Sioux Falls, the house shakes gently, then stops. Castiel looks around the room.

"Yes. I sensed it when I was outside of my vessel. An emptiness. I am ..."

Castiel looks down at the phone and sees it has lost connection. She slips the phone into her pocket and walks out of the bedroom.

The house shakes harder. Castiel braces herself in the doorway, grabbing the door frame tightly. Her hands crush the wood of the frame, leaving an imprint. When the room stops shaking, she lets go of the frame and coolly walks down the stairs, as if nothing remarkable has happened.

 **St Louis, MO**

 _A Strip Club._

"Everyone outside! GO GO! Leave that, GO!" A slick-looking man in a sleazy suit points and bellows into the chaos. He drags a fallen dancer off the stage and steadies her as she gets to her feet. She staggers for a moment as the earth shakes again. A fellow dancer takes her by hand. Together they stumble towards the exit.

Patrons and scantily-clad dancers pick their way past fallen chairs and spilled drinks.

 **Sioux Falls, SD**

 _Sioux Falls police station._

Sheriff Jody Mills braces herself against a counter as the earth quakes gently. All around, people crouch and brace themselves against the mild shaking. Papers and files are scattered on the floor, from the previous, stronger earthquake.

A man's voice mutters, "Another one." The middle-aged police officer rises from his crouch.

Jody pulls out her cell phone. The phone is lit with an icon warning of no connection.

 **A Field in Nebraska**

The earth shakes again.

Streaks of light appear in the sky above the roiling cloud of darkness. One streak dips closer to the void. It is snuffed out. Seven streaks of light combine into a formation and swoop through the outer edge of the black cloud. The edge of the black cloud disperses, then reappears as the formation of angels passes. The streaks of light on the outer edges of the formation dim, then flicker out.

A lone angel circles above the scene. Its light flickers, then dissipates.

The void grows larger.

 **Loma Linda, CA**

 _A child's bedroom._

"The blanket!" the woman cries out, leaning against the top of a child's mattress, huddling over the slight body of her young daughter. The mattress is pulled off the box spring and lies slanted against the box spring and the bed frame.

The short, slight man throws a heavy quilt over his wife and daughter just before the walls and ceilings shake.

 **Toronto, Canada**

 _An auditorium._

The scene in the auditorium is oddly peaceful. Collapsed vendor stands line the outside of the central auditorium. A small sea of people crouch before a low stage. Many of them huddle together in small clusters, kneeling on top of flattened folding chairs. A group of devotional chanters kneel on a cloth in front of the stage. The chant leader continues his chant:

"Cover your heads," the three figures at the front of the group chant loudly. In a chorus, a group of devotional chanters repeats loudly, "Cover your heads."

"Stay calm," the three figures chant. "Stay calm," the group chants.

"Om steya-himsa-surapana-dyasesadharma-vidvise namah," the three figures chant. "Om steya-himsa-surapana-dyasesadharma-vidvise namah," the group chants.

The religious figures on the stage move slowly in a group off the stage, protecting a woman in the middle.

To one side crouches an elderly woman dressed in white and purple robes with a large name card around her neck that reads "VOLUNTEER." A family of three huddles together next to her. As the mild shaking stops, she stands up and briskly takes a folded chair away from a man struggling to collapse the chair. She pressed the back of the chair and collapses it, laying it down flat on the ground.

 **Sioux Falls, SD**

 _Outside a two-story house._

Castiel steps outside and closes the door of the house.

Suddenly, Crowley appears on the porch, a wild look in his eyes. "You're right. Something is wrong. What do you need?"

"Time. I need to get to Heaven," Castiel says urgently.

Crowley snaps his fingers.

 **The Portal to Heaven**

The playground where the portal to Heaven used to stand is empty. The sandbox is gone. A strong wind blows across the playground, making Castiel's overcoat flap. She sighs in exasperation. "They've retreated. Fifty-thousand souls from your racks. The innocent ones," she demands coolly.

Crowley looks at Castiel. A strange mix of emotions play across Crowley's face. Castiel looks calmly at the demon.

The earth shakes. The demon and the angel stand still as the trees around the playground teeter and uproot. The playground equipment twists in place, then falls. Crowley's eyes burn red. The shadow of Castiel's injured wings lies across the ground.

"You guarantee ... you will at the very least, attempt to save me," Crowley growls as his eyes burn.

The wind picks up. Trees bend, then snap. Branches from the broken pine trees skitter across the ground.

"I swear it," Castiel answers. Before Crowley can speak again, she grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him into a kiss, sealing the deal.

Light bursts out from Castiel's body.

The world turns white.

 _**Timejump:** _

_**The Year 2015** _

**Outside of Tulsa, OK**

 _Holloway's Farmhouse._

In the shadowy barn, Castiel grapples with Tamiel. The Grigori angel lies on his back in the dirt of the barn. His hand grabs Castiel's wrist, preventing Cas' angelblade from touching him. Claire kneels on the ground beyond them, crying and cradling her mom's body in her arms.

Sam runs frantically into the barn, then skids to a halt.

A second Claire appears out of thin air. She falls on top of Castiel as he struggles with Tamiel on the ground. Grace bursts forth from her mouth as she hits the ground.

Tamiel and Castiel scramble apart, getting to their feet.

Claire stares at her double, lying dazed on the ground. She looks up at the light. "Yes." The grace begins to pour into her mouth.

Tamiel and Castiel stare intently at Claire and the grace. Dean runs into the barn behind Sam, then freezes, staring at the scene.

As the last of the grace pours into Claire's mouth, she staggers upright. Her mother's body rolls out of her arms.

The other Claire lies on the floor between Castiel and Tamiel. Blood runs from her mouth. She blinks and looks up at Claire. They lock eyes.

Red-tinged light bursts out of Claire's mouth towards the double's fallen body as the grace tears out of Claire. The light and the double collide. A screaming, keening noise winds up, like a shrill airplane engine. The intense light grows brighter. Sam, and Dean cover their eyes and ears with their arms and turn away. Castiel and Tamiel look on. The last of the light leaves Claire's mouth. Claire closes her eyes and covers her ears with her hands. Her double explodes. Blood and flesh spatter the combatants and the barn.

Blinking and covered in blood and tissue from the body of her other self, Claire speaks incoherently. "They ... that was ..."

Dean tackles Tamiel from the side. Castiel closes the distance between them and swings his angelblade at Tamiel.

"Stop! I came back from the future! Castiel came back to warn us!" Claire yells. "Tamiel! No! You're needed! An emptiness is ... Stop!"

Dean and Castiel grapple Tamiel, almost bringing him to the ground, a tangled mess of explosive energy and locked and flailing limbs.

"Hey!" Sam yells. He glares at the three fighters. Timing it, Sam springs forward. Dean's stray arm clips Sam's head, then Sam grabs Dean by the sides of his ribs. Dean draws back from the fight; the intensity of his violent edge lessening as he lets his little brother draw him back.

Castiel and Tamiel break apart. They stand, facing each other.

"I'm needed, by you," Tamiel says, his voice full of contempt and arrogance. "Your future self sacrificed yourself for this. What could be of such import that you would return within your vessel's timeline?"

"I don't know," Castiel answers the rogue angel coolly.

Claire answers, speaking quickly, "It's a black hole in Nebraska. It ate eight angels. They snuffed out when they touched it. Castiel heard their dying screams." Claire waves her hands at Sam and Dean. "You were helping Sam decode a book and it worked, a Mark came off, you left dad's body and felt an emptiness destroying the planet, there were earthquakes, you made a deal with Crowley, fifty-thousand souls and you promised to try to save him. You said you needed time."

"Crowley?" Tamiel asks.

"The King of Hell," Castiel answers levelly.

"Interesting. You've fallen far, Castiel," Tamiel sneers. "Well ... you failures live up to expectations. I'm willing to let this go and let you leave alive." Tamiel takes a business card from his pocket and flicks it at Castiel. "My number. Leave."

Castiel catches the card. He glances around at Sam and Dean, then at Claire and Amelia's body. "Claire ... come ..."

Claire walks to Castiel, making a wide circle around Tamiel. She reaches out. Castiel holds her hand. The four of them leave the barn. Claire glances back at her mom's body, lying on the ground.

 _Impala_

The steady purr of the impala is a comforting noise as they drive away from Holloway's farmhouse. In the back seat of the car, Claire shakily wipes her face and hands with a clean piece of her t-shirt. She's wearing Dean's flannel shirt. It's much too large for her.

"How are you feeling?" Castiel asks.

"Great. I'm covered in bits of my own body and mom is dead," Claire says sarcastically as tears dribble down her face.

Castiel gives Claire a long look. "Do you remember any more of what happened in the future?"

Claire takes a breath. "It wasn't a black hole. I don't know what it was. It was empty ... wrong ... and old. And the angels that touched it died. You heard them sing their death. The not-a-black hole was eating up the earth." She takes a deep breath and exhales. "Rowena, the witch in the abandoned factory. She casts spells to make you attack Crowley and froze ... freezes Crowley so he can't get away. That's why you left dad's body. His body ... fell apart when you left, so you came to me. You couldn't get to Heaven. The portal was closed and the angels were gone."

"Is this when I make the deal with Crowley?" Castiel asks.

"Yeah," Claire answers.

"I'm surprised he agreed," Castiel comments.

"You weren't surprised. You asked for the innocent souls, then you kissed him." Claire says.

Castiel looks thoughtful.

Sam huffs. "I saw them, when I was there getting Bobby."

"Where?" Claire asks.

"In Hell, rescuing an innocent soul and taking it to Heaven. It was the second trial to close the Gates of Hell," Sam says. "I wish I could have taken them all with me," he says pensively. "They didn't belong there."

Claire swallows heavily. "Your dorky clothes are different," Claire comments, looking at Dean.

"What?" Dean asks; his eyes stay on the dark road.

"Yeah. They're even dorkier," Claire says.

 **Tulsa, OK**

 _Motel Room_

Dean, Sam, Claire, and Castiel walk into the motel room.

"Dibs on the shower," Claire says, as she makes a beeline to her bag. She walks into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. The sound of running water is audible from behind the thin walls and ill-fitting bathroom door.

Dean, Sam, and Castiel face each other in the center of the motel room.

"Who else do we know that moves through time?" Sam asks.

"Chronos," Dean answers.

"Who's not dead," Sam gives Dean a slightly annoyed look.

"Might not be dead now," Dean says, making a face.

"If he is alive, we will need to break his time loop. Unbroken time loops will make it difficult to alter the future," Castiel says.

"Is that why future you killed future Claire?" Dean asks.

"It may not have been my intention," Castiel answers, a note of distress in his voice. "It requires a degree of .. finesse to return into one's own timeline. Breaking the time loops for both myself and Claire may have ... exceeded my capabilities. Killing ourselves may have been the remaining option to sever our loops," Castiel says.

"Whoever it is went further back," Sam says to Castiel.

"And messed with us," Dean says, looking at his clothes. He is dressed in a black t-shirt, a maroon corduroy shirt, and a worn pair of skinny jeans.

Sam says, "If something ... that big goes down in the future. It makes sense. Everyone who could, would jump back to prevent it. Crowley practically gave those souls away."

"He has my word that I will attempt to save him," Castiel says coldly. The conversation pauses for a moment.

"What the Hell were .. are you doing behind my back, both of you!" Dean bursts out. "Rowena, the book. Let me guess, you didn't burn that book, did you, Sam?" Dean says with an accusatory tone of voice.

"Dean, we have more important things to worry about. All we've got is that whatever's going down will happen in Nebraska. It's a big state." Sam spreads his hands.

"No. They're connected. Big magic, big price. A biblical price. When I held it in my hands, I felt how ... wrong ... that book is. It wanted me to use it," Dean says. "And right after that Mark came off .. comes off in the future," Dean waves his arms angrily, "The shit hits the fan. Don't tell me they're not connected."

"Calm down, Dean. We have time. We will not repeat the same mistakes," Castiel says.

"Yeah, your first mistake is you not telling me what's going on with Rowena and the book," Dean says bitterly.

"I don't know. Sam has not yet involved me in the situation," Castiel responds.

"Fine," Sam says, heaving a breath. "I tracked down Rowena and made a deal with her. I kill Crowley. She decodes the Book of the Damned. She needed the codex from the Werther Box. That's why I was there."

Dean glares at Sam. "When does Cas come into this?" Dean asks.

"I don't know! It hasn't happened yet!" Sam snaps.

"You made a deal with a witch! To kill Crowley!" Dean yells.

"She's in iron shackles," Sam says firmly. "And the world would be better off without Crowley. You may have forgotten our friends that he killed. I haven't."

"Better off? He's gone soft!" Dean shouts.

Claire opens the bathroom door. She is dressed in a clean shirt and jeans, holding her bloody clothes in her hands. "Hey, inside voice," she snarks, bravado covering up her emotions. "I want to get my dead body off my clothes," she says flatly.

Dean takes a box of salt from his bag and strides forward. "Here," Dean says, impatiently taking Claire's wet clothes. He swings the door of the bathroom partly closed behind him, leaving it ajar.

Sam heaves a sigh.

"I heard what you were talking about. Half of it. What else is going on?" Claire asks.

"Claire, I want you to be safe," Castiel says.

"I'm not. I come back here to die in the future," Claire says.

Sam and Castiel look at each other. Castiel sighs a deep and worried sigh.

"Seriously, how often does this happen to you guys?" Claire asks, sitting down at the round table near the door of the motel room. Castiel stands nearby.

Sam sits down on the side of a bed, his long arms resting on his legs. "Pretty often," Sam makes a funny face. "It feels like it's been nonstop for 10 years. Dad disappeared. Demons. They opened a gate to Hell. We didn't know to deal with em at first," Sam shrugs. "Then, Dean getting dragged to Hell. I died and he made a deal with a demon to bring me back to life. Castiel showed up after Dean came back."

"I raised him from Perdition," Castiel says. "When we breached the Gates of Hell, Ramiel and Puriel descended from Heaven to join the Garrison for the raid. They fell in battle as we reached the inner recesses of Hell. They were great warriors. They slew Bael, Barbas, Aamon, Pruflas, Buer-," Castiel breaks off as he looks at Sam and Claire.

Sam and Claire look at Castiel, patiently waiting for his story to end.

"Please continue, Sam," Castiel says.

"There was the Apocalypse. We stopped it. I jumped into the Cage with Lucifer and Michael. After the Apocalypse, one of the archangels, Raphael, tried to restart the Apocalypse. Cas fought him, her. Monsters we'd never seen showed up ... everywhere. Dean can tell you about those. I lost my soul temporarily and don't remember everything that happened clearly." Sam grimaces. "Cas made with a deal with Crowley to get souls from Purgatory to fight Raphael and set loose Leviathans-"

"Accidentally," Castiel interjects.

Sam says, "After that, Crowley was after Kevin."

"The Prophet of the Lord," Castiel adds.

Dean steps quietly back into the room.

"There was a ... mess with tablets that God had written about leviathans, demons, and angels. Cas was...," Sam looks at Castiel.

"Naomi, the head of Intelligence, reprogrammed me," Castiel says. Claire looks at Castiel warily.

"We tried to close the Gates of Hell but-" Sam heaves a sigh. "... didn't ... and Metatron,"

"The Scribe of God, tricked me." Castiel doesn't continue.

Sam says, "He took Cas' grace as the final ingredient to the spell to close the Gates of Heaven, causing the angels to fall from Heaven and turning Cas into a human. The angels had a civil war."

"Cas led the rebel angels fighting Metatron," Dean says.

"Yes. Gabriel persuaded me," Castiel says.

"Gabriel?" Dean asks. "He died holding off Lucifer to let us and Kali escape."

"No," Castiel says, "He was alive. He persuaded me to lead the angels. I .. was reluctant. I am no leader and told him so, but the events of the night convinced me otherwise."

"Huh," Sam says thoughtfully. After a moment, Sam continues. "An angel possessing me. Killed Kevin. Dean took the Mark of Cain to kill Abaddon-"

Castiel interrupts. "Which was pointless and unnecessary. We defeated Metatron and imprisoned him through trickery. Sam believed Dean to be dead by Metatron's hand," Castiel says.

"The Mark of Cain turned Dean into a demon," Sam says quickly, as if by saying it more quickly, he would feel less pain.

"It doesn't let me die," Dean says flatly, not looking at Sam.

"That is not all it does," Castiel says with a note of distress.

"What is it Cas?" Dean asks calmly. Claire's eyes flick over Dean's face.

"I was there when Cain slew Abel. God gave Lucifer a Mark to hold hidden in the space between the first and second of his right wings. The Mark was not meant to be seen. It was a perversion for Cain to bear a simulacrum of Lucifer's Mark on his soul. The taint from bearing that Mark has passed on in Cain's bloodline to this day." Castiel stops talking.

Dean looks at Castiel.

"You never told us this, Cas," Sam says.

"It is not relevant to the removal of the Mark," Castiel answers.

"Yes, I know, but the more we know about it..." Sam says in an annoyed voice.

"I felt concern for Dean's feelings if I revealed that he is a perversion and taint upon the Earth, due to his folly and reckless ignorance," Castiel says.

"Thanks Cas," Dean says in a subdued voice.

Sam looks at Dean. Turning to Castiel, he says, "Next time, don't spare us. This is too important."

Castiel continues the story. "Sam captured Dean and turned him into a human. Sam was concerned that the influence of the Mark on Dean had grown excessive. We broke into Heaven to question Metatron. I removed Metatron's grace. He knew nothing useful about removing the Mark. He said he knew the location of my Grace. I took him there and retrieved my Grace. Metatron escaped."

Sam and Dean burst out together, "He's loose? Cas!"

"We need to know this!" Sam exclaims. At the same moment, Dean asks, "Are there angels after you?"

"No. Hannah ... has sent no angels after me. I have not told her that I lost Metatron. He ... has the demon tablet. I have been tracking him."

"Friggin tablets, more trouble than they're worth," Dean says vehemently. "I'll call Crowley. Same vessel?" He asks Castiel.

"Yes," Castiel answers.

"If people remember Marv, that might help us track him down," Sam says, swinging his laptop open onto the table. "Dean, let me call Jody?" Sam asks as Dean walks out the door.

Dean looks back and mutters a distracted, "Yeah."

Sam pulls out a notebook and pen from his bag and slides it across the table to Claire. "Claire, listen, I want you to write down everything you can remember about the future ... okay?" Sam looks at her steadily.

Claire picks up the notebook and pen. "Yeah," Claire says, looking into Sam's eyes.

Castiel strides out of the motel room. He walks past Dean, leaning against the Impala with his cell phone at his ear. Behind him, Castiel hears Dean's half of the conversation fade as he walks away. "I am alone," Castiel says into the crisp night air.

Hannah appears in front of Castiel. She is in her female vessel: Caroline Johnson.

"Hannah?" Castiel says, with a puzzled tone of voice.

"Yes. Come, Castiel." Hannah places her hand on Castiel's shoulder. They disappear.

Moments later, Dean walks to where Castiel has vanished, knife in one hand and gun in the other. He looks around, then turns back to the motel room.

 **Heaven**

 _Heaven's Prison._

Hannah, Castiel, and three other angels enter Heaven's Prison. Metatron sits in the first cell, his hands and feet shackled together to the walls, ground, and ceiling of the prison cell.

Castiel takes a breath. "Well played," he says as he looks at Hannah.

Hannah smiles at Castiel.

"Oh, come to marvel at your handiwork?" Metatron says, smarminess dripping off every word.

"He was difficult to capture even without his Grace," Hannah says, ignoring Metatron.

Castiel nods and takes out a vial with a swirly light inside.

"That's mine!" Metatron spits out, struggling to his feet. The chains force him to crouch. "Was my little escape and recapture amusing to you? Let me tell you, that foray of yours was … narratively weak," he hisses.

"What were your plans with the demon tablet?" Castiel asks.

Metatron smiles his twisted smile. "Like I would tell you," his voice drips disgust and superiority.

"You are the Scribe of God," Castiel says.

Metatron laughs. "Yes ... I am. You know, I don't understand my past admiration of you warrior types. God made you with limited imagination and no creativity. The perfect little slaves for the real powers in Heaven to use."

"You know God's words. What would you do with the demon tablet?" Castiel asks again.

"What … couldn't … I do," Metatron says, a twisted smirk marring his face. "One day, you'll come running to me, begging for my help. And my help will come with a price." Metatron sits back down with a self-satisfied air.

Hannah looks at Castiel. The angels walk out of the prison and through an open-plan office with angels diligently working at their desks. Hannah leads them into an alcove set up as a meeting area. Hannah sits on a comfortable stuffed chair and Castiel sits next to her. The three angels surround Castiel.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Light Rail Tracks_

Sheriff Donna Hanscum runs on the sidewalk between the tracks. Sweat drenches her plump body. Her breath is a ragged gasp. She has a taser in one hand and fumbles with an object in the other hand. Behind her, two humanoid figures blur as they run, supernaturally fast. Their bizarre, ugly faces loom up behind her. With a clatter, the drained taser battery drops onto the sidewalk and Donna clicks in a charged battery.

"Now!" a light, female voice shouts.

Donna spins and fires. One figure falls. It's a rawhead. The other rawhead turns tail and runs.

Jody Mills jogs up to Donna, holstering her taser. Donna gasps and stares at the body of the rawhead.

"Next time, you're doing the running," Donna pants.

Jody looks down at the body of the rawhead. "Let's clear out of here before the other one comes back. I left the salt back in my car."

Donna groans.

 **Heaven**

 _An alcove_

"Please, Castiel," Hannah says. She reaches out her right hand. Castiel sits next to her on one of the armless, stuffed chairs in the alcove.

Castiel hesitates, then takes Hannah's hand. "Of course, I understand." His fingers close on hers.

Three angels stand around Castiel. "Sophia," Castiel says, looking up at her.

Sophia gives Castiel a slight nod. A gleaming metal probe appears in her hand. In a single swift movement, she slips the probe into Castiel's forehead.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Light Rail Tracks_

Jody's cell phone vibrates in her pocket. She checks the screen. It's 12:01 a.m.

"Sam! Glad you called, because we got a thing that sounds like your kind of thing," Jody says, walking down the sidewalk. Donna follows Jody, glancing back frequently.

Sam huffs a laugh. "Lay it on me."

"Donna and I are on vacation here in Minneapolis popping rawheads. The lakes are crawling with em," Jody says.

"Tell him they're working in pairs," Donna says.

"Donna says to tell you they're working in pairs," Jody says.

"Pairs, never heard of them doing that," Sam answers. "Listen, we'll get there as soon as we can. We have a few problems we could use help with. Marv, that miracle worker last year?"

"Yeah?" Jody ask questioningly.

Sam says quickly, "We need to track him down and Jody, watch out for demons. In ...," There's a pause and a sound of rustling papers. "...a couple weeks, the world will end in Nebraska. Oh and a family called the Stynes, they came after a book that a friend of ours picked up for us. Jacob Styne, he was jacked up with a type of magic we haven't come across before-"

"Wait.. hold your horses cowboy, go over that second one again," Jody interrupts to redirect the conversation to the end of the world.

"Dean! Jody, I ... I'll call you back," Sam says quickly.

The cell phone disconnects. Jody stares at it for a moment, then looks at Donna.

 **Heaven**

 _An alcove_

"...and the not-a-black hole has come twice already," Castiel says, thinking out loud.

"The not-a-black hole?" Hannah asks, a puzzled note in her voice.

"It is what Claire named the force destroying the world. In our future, I return here using her as my vessel. I then inhabited her before breaking the time loop by killing the future versions of ourselves. Only the information that I imparted to Claire remains," Castiel answers.

Hannah looks at Castiel respectfully, and nods, "An excellent solution. Inias calls it the Void. It will be easier this iteration with Metatron unaware and imprisoned."

"It may be safer to kill Metatron," Castiel says.

Hannah nods seriously. "Yet, we may need him to write Destiny."

"You would trust him with the angel tablet?" Castiel questions Hannah.

"I don't trust him, Castiel," Hannah says. "Yet, it may be our best option." She holds out her hand.

Castiel looks at her, and then takes out the vial of Metatron's grace. "How many have there been?"

"This is Inias's second time-jump. I will return with him if this iteration fails. Caroline is prepared to sacrifice herself," Hannah says calmly, taking the vial of grace from Castiel.

"I see. How long have you known?" he asks.

"Months. Inias approached me before I requested your help apprehending the rogue angels."

Castiel sighs. "What must be done?"

"Stay here, Castiel," Hannah says. "Your actions in the last iteration led to the Void."

"Dean will be suspicious and ... may act rashly," Castiel argues, cocking his head.

"You will convince him. I assigned Asariel and Purah to Earth's Garrison. They will watch over the bearer of the Mark. You need not concern yourself with his safety," Hannah says.

"And ... there is little that I can do here," Castiel says, flustered.

Hannah says, "I can do little, Castiel. Inias can only hint at courses of action that may change the future without trapping us in a time loop." Hannah pauses. "I would speak to Claire."

"Of course," Castiel answers.

 **Tulsa, OK**

 _Motel Room_

Claire sits at the table, journal in front of her. Ripped out pages of her writing are scattered on the table. Fresh, bloody angel sigils decorate the window and walls of the room. Dean, Sam, and Crowley stand near the door of the motel room. A bloody cloth rag is wrapped around Dean's arm and hand.

"I'm not going with Crowley," Sam says.

Dean argues, "I can't trust myself near the Book. Cas is gone-"

"Dean, he's been gone less than an hour!" Sam exclaims.

Crowley looks at Sam and comments, "Patience has never been one of Dean's virtues."

"Take Claire with you and get back to the Bunker. I'll go to Minnesota and handle the case," Dean says.

"Jody needs backup researching rawheads," Sam says, "NOT handling her case."

"What is there to research about rawheads?" Dean demands.

"They're working in pairs," Sam says.

"Huh." Crowley quirks his face and says, "Here's my proposition: I'll send my demons to take care of that and keep watch over Nebraska. You'll all go to the Bunker and hunker down, drinking cheap whiskey and microbrews until the world doesn't end." He grabs a page off the table and rolls his eyes over it. "Fifty-thousand souls and I gave it to you for nothing," Crowley muses.

Sam glares at Crowley.

"In return for my aid, Moose will retrieve the Book of the Damned and the Codex and hand it over to me along with my dear mother in chains," Crowley finishes.

"I'm not handing over the Book. It's our only chance of curing you!" Sam yells at Dean.

Dean starts to pace back and forth across the room in frustrated, jerky strides.

"This is not you, Dean! Stop it! Stop walking," Sam says desperately.

Dean stops walking and looks at Sam in disbelief.

"You don't do that...," Sam says in a broken voice.

"Don't do what?" Dean asks.

"Pace...," Sam says.

Dean gives Sam a long look. "You want to meet Jody, fine." He tosses the keys to Sam.

Sam lets the keys hit his chest, then drop on the floor with a jangle. "Don't tell me fine, Dean! We are not splitting up."

Crowley breaks in, stopping the argument. "Entertaining as it is to watch Moose's nervous breakdown, you have visitors."

Dean glances outside. Castiel and other figures are visible through the window. "Freakin angels," he mutters. Dean looks at Crowley, "No point in you staying."

Crowley gives Dean a look. "Don't do anything stupid." He snaps his fingers and disappears.

 **Tulsa, OK**

 _Outside the Motel Room_

Castiel sighs, his cell phone held to his ear.

Asariel and Purah stand together at one side. Three other angels flank Hannah. Hannah glances at Asariel and Purah. They give quick shakes of their head.

Castiel dials again. "Sam."

"Cas," Sam says. "What happened? Why are you outside?" Inside the motel room, Sam, Dean, and Claire listen to the conversation by speakerphone.

"Hannah wishes to speak with Claire. Please let us inside," Castiel answers.

"What happened to you? You disappeared," Sam says.

"Hannah and I had a talk. I am good, Sam. Please, let us come inside and speak more privately. I have good news," Castiel says in a cheerful voice.

"Really! Great!" Sam says. "You know, we're going to go hole up in one of Bobby's old cabins until the deadline is past. It's gonna be safer to stay apart so, we won't trigger what we did before." Sam has his fake, sympathetic, lying face firmly set as he speaks into the phone.

Castiel says, "Don't lie, Sam. Please, let us discuss the matter inside. Hannah wishes to speak to Claire."

"Yeah, not going to happen," Dean growls. "Look Cas, until this is over stay away from us."

"We will not know when it is over, Dean," Castiel says calmly. "Do you not see the value in sharing information?"

Dean answers, "You want to share information, Claire wrote it down. You and your angel buddies fly off and I'll read it to you nice and private over the phone."

"Dean," Castiel growls, then stops speaking. He glances at Hannah and sighs.

With a concerned look on her face, Hannah says, "Castiel?"

Castiel says, "This may be easier if I speak with him alone." He looks at Hannah tentatively.

Hannah and the other angels disappear with a sound of flapping wings.

Castiel places his hand on the Impala's door. It opens. Castiel gets inside the car.

"What are you doing to Baby?" Dean asks, looking outside.

"I am sitting. Hannah and the other angels are gone. Stop behaving foolishly and embarassing me!" Castiel says in an exasperated tone of voice.

"Embarrassing you?" Sam and Dean ask together.

"Yes, embarrassing me. You are suspicious of me, and you stay and ward the motel instead of hiding? If Hannah wished to harm you, Asariel would have destroyed the motel complex with you in it," Castiel says.

"Even with the angel warding?" Sam asks.

"Yes, I'm sure she would have found a way around it. She is a specialist."

"What was the pod person talk for?" Dean asks.

"I was ... feeling ... relieved," Castiel snarls. "Hannah recaptured Metatron. She's been aware for several months. An angel from the future approached her, one who time jumped much further into the past. I will not speak his name, he is experiencing difficulty avoiding entrapment in a time loop. Sophia debriefed me. She has a delicate touch and I remain for the most part myself. It was a precaution in the event that I was compromised by a spell or other angels. Hannah wants me to stay with her in Heaven until this is over because my actions in the last iteration led to the appearance of the Void. Asariel and Purah will guard you."

"Cas, how do you know you're ... okay?" Sam asks, his voice full of concern.

"I don't know. It was necessary and I trust Hannah," Castiel grinds out the words. "This iteration must be the last one, or the borders of the universe will bleed."

"This iteration?" Dean asks.

"The other angel has time jumped twice, which means we have failed at least twice before in preventing it. Hannah will tell you what you need to know. I will not interact with you and repeat the same mistakes," Castiel says shortly.

"Fine. We'll talk," Dean says.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Parking Lot  
_

Donna and Jody stand at the back bumper of Jody's SUV. The trunk is open. Donna is rummaging around in the back. Jody is turned around, keeping a lookout on the quiet parking lot. The reflection of light from the sun off of the surface of the moon illuminates the parking lot.

Donna fishes a water bottle and a container of cookies out of a reusable grocery bag and turns around to stand side-by-side with Jody. "That's one H-E double hockey stick of a story they told you, Jodes," Donna says. "You think they're on the up and up?"

Jody stands comfortably next to Donna. "Those boys aren't lying, not this time," Jody says with a small smile. "I know they're not telling me the whole story. We could use their help with the rawheads."

"You'd think someone woulda noticed them all over Minneapolis before now," Donna says, a puzzled expression on her face. "I see em everywhere now. Don't know how I missed what was going on before ... but ain't it always like that?" Donna rambles on.

Jody smiles, "Yeah." She glances down at her cell phone. The time is 2:13 a.m.

 **Notes:**

Thanks to the wonderful ladymarvel87, Permit Winter, Skylark22155, writersdream1661, GW, Mishafer, Kim Wit, dance4thedead, and my-spirit-animal-is-the-impala for beta of Chapter 1.


	2. Episode 2, The Darkness, Part 2

****The Road So Far****

Previously, Castiel leaves his vessel to break the Impetus Bestiarum spell. He takes Claire as his vessel.

Earthquakes and hurricanes appear as the Darkness swallows up the earth. Crowley and Castiel meet and teleport to the Portal to Heaven, but the angels have retreated. As the world is ripped apart around them, Crowley gives Castiel 50,000 souls from Hell.

Castiel time jumps back to season 10, episode 20, Angel Heart. Sam, Dean, and Claire track Claire's mother to Tamiel, a renegade Grigori angel. The future Claire and Castiel destroy themselves to break the time loop after Castiel briefly enters current time Claire to transfer his memories from the future.

The group breaks apart without killing Tamiel and they return to their motel room. Castiel disappears to speak to Hannah and Sam and Dean are suspicious of Castiel on his return. Castiel talks them down.

Sam called Jody Mills for help tracking Metatron. Jody is on a working vacation with Donna Hanscum, dealing with a large influx of rawheads in Minneapolis. The group flies to Minneapolis to fight rawheads as a shakedown before confronting Rowena.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Light Rail Transit Parking Lot  
_

Donna sits on the back bumper of Jody's SUV, drinking from a water bottle. Her face is flushed and her hair is plastered against her head with dried sweat. Her free hand holds a small cookie. Jody sits in the front seat.

With a fluttering of wings, Sam, Dean, and Claire flicker one-by-one into the parking lot a few feet in front of Donna. Asariel and Purah appear nearby, flanking the group of three from about ten feet away.

Donna chokes on her water and coughs. "Uck." She makes a small, undignified noise, then gets to her feet.

"Donna!" Dean says with a placating grin. "We, uh ... got new backup."

Sam flashes Donna a professional smile and walks to the front door to talk to Jody.

"Claire," Dean says by way of introduction. Donna sets her water bottle down on the bumper and shakes hands with Claire.

"Jodes told me you would be coming," Donna says. She looks on wide-eyed as Purah disappears, reappears with the Impala in the next parking spot. "That's darn-tootin..." Asariel and Purah disappear.

Dean grins. "Dry run with the angels backing us up." He winks at her.

Donna holds out a container of cookies. Dean takes one, and the two of them bite into the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies at the same time. Claire hesitantly takes a cookie, looking over the group.

"Thanks," Claire says in a neutral voice without a trace of her usual snarkiness.

Sam walks back to Dean. Jody gets out of the car, closing the door carefully behind her.

"Hey, Dean," Jody says with a piercing look. Dean nods.

Asariel and Purah reappear. Purah hands Dean a map and a red sharpie, looking up at him alertly within the childish body of her vessel. The five humans cluster together as Dean opens up the map. Minneapolis and surrounding lakes are covered in red dots.

"All those rawheads?" Donna asks, assessing the danger outlined on the map.

Purah glances briefly at Dean before answering. "Yes."

Dean glances at Purah uncertainly. "You see a good one for a shakedown?"

"Here." Purah points confidently at a mass of red dots in the middle of the city. "A temporary cluster of rawheads in a high population area." She points at another location to the west. "And here, the borders are less frayed. The group is geographically separated."

Sam asks quietly, "What does that mean, the borders are less frayed?"

Purah frowns. "The rawheads are ..." She turns to Asariel.

"The rawheads are not native," Asariel answers.

"Awesome. U of Minnesota first, then Shady Oak Lake," Dean orders.

"Shakedown," Jody says, looking at the odd group: tall and lanky Sam looming over Purah's child vessel, the rebellious teenager with her half-braided hair standing next to Dean who has a murderous edge, and Asariel who looks like an impoverished college-aged babysitter with her worn pink jacket and her pants that are too short. "I take it we're not invited."

"Not this round," Dean says curtly.

"We'll come back later to help with the rest." Sam says to soften Dean's harshness. "Here," he says. He takes the map from Dean and gives it to Jody.

Jody carefully folds the map marked with rawhead's locations. "Well, I've got a spare taser if we're sitting this out," Jody offers.

Donna jumps in. "Here, take mine. One charge." She takes out her taser.

Claire takes the weapon and turns it over in her hands, checking it out.

"You fire one before?" Jody asks.

"No," Claire glances at Jody.

"Let me show ya." Donna leads Claire away. Asariel follows the two humans.

Jody turns to Dean. "Sam tells me the world's ending."

"Yeah," Dean grunts. "Couple weeks, Nebraska."

"You gonna figure that one out?" Jody asks archly, one eyebrow raised.

Dean looks at Sam. "We got a lead," Dean's eyes flick to where the Mark of Cain on his arm is hidden by his clothing. He looks thoughtful. "The Stynes."

"Yeah," Sam says. "They've been using the Book for centuries, might have records."

"I'll get on that," Jody says seriously, the smile wiped off of her face.

 ******Season 11 Episode 2: The Darkness, Part 2** ** **

**St. Louis, MO  
**

 _A Strip Club_

Techno music blares in the dimly lit club.

Water drizzles down in the tiled depression in the center of the stage. Dancers in swimsuits writhe in a simulated shower. The sleazy man with his slicked-back hair talks to a couple patrons sitting at a table.

Eli Styne opens the door to the strip club and steps inside, his cousin Cyrus right behind him. Eli pauses briefly, taking in the scene. He takes out his wallet and shows it to the hostess at the entry, then slips her cash for the cover charge. The hostess gives him a bright, professional smile. "Welcome to the Club," she says, then she turns to check Cyrus' ID.

"Eli!" the sleazy man says with a broad grin, as he strides over to the Stynes. He slings one arm around Eli's shoulders and pulls him into a hug.

"Steven, good to see you," Eli says with faked enthusiasm.

"Who's this?" Steven asks.

"My cousin Cy," Eli introduces. Cyrus reaches forward and shakes Steven's hand, before quickly retreating behind Eli's back.

Steven flicks a glance over Cyrus, then looks at Eli without a trace of a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Tracking and ...," Eli trails off and glances at Cyrus. Cyrus stares around the strip club, huddled next to Eli.

A flicker of tightness passes over Steven's face before it smooths over into an overly cheerful and hearty mask. "Take a seat, we'll talk after hours." Steven walks away to stop by another patron's table. Eli and Cyrus head to a corner, furthest away from the dancers.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _University of Minnesota Campus  
_

Purah and Dean flicker onto the lawn in front of a large building with stone columns. Dean holds his taser in his right hand. Within a blink of an eye, the others appear on campus.

In the shadows beyond the pillars of the building's entryway, Dean spots a movement.

Dean and Purah race each other between the columns.

Dean fires.

The darts hit.

The rawhead jerks and falls onto the concrete portico.

Purah dances ahead. She reaches out. With each of her short arms, she grabs a rawhead.

As light burns out of the skin of the rawheads that Purah holds, a final rawhead darts forward. Its grotesque head and heavy, clawed arms reach out to Purah's face.

Asariel dashes to intercept the rawhead.

Purah ducks as Astariel jumps. In mid-air, one hand braced against the pillar, Astariel kicks the rawhead. Her motion is oddly gentle and restrained. The rawhead flies across the entryway and hits the wall of the building, then falls on the stone floor.

Sam stands next to Claire. He glances at her, his taser ready to fire if she doesn't take the shot.

Claire gazes steadily at the rawhead. She fires. The darts hit the rawhead. The monstrous body jerks, then goes still. Claire shudders and pants with the rush of adrenaline.

"Good shot," Sam praises Claire encouragingly. Claire looks up at him alertly.

Purah rises up from her crouch near piles of dust in the shadows of the columns. Her smite has destroyed the bodies of the rawheads.

"Anything else here?" Dean asks.

Purah answers with a simple, "No."

"Okay." Dean resets his taser and inserts a new cartridge. Sam looks over the bodies of the rawheads and the piles of dust that Purah created. Claire fumbles with her taser. Dean hands her a new cartridge. "Purah take point. Asariel behind us," Dean says. "Ready?" he asks as Claire looks up.

Claire meets Dean's eyes. "Yeah."

 _Shady Oak Lake_

The five of them appear in a park-like setting near a lake, a shadowy playground in front of them. Asariel behind Sam and Claire. Dean behind Purah.

Purah holds up a hand. She stalks ahead, moving silently over the playground. Underneath a tower of slides, twin bursts of light appear, illuminating Purah and two rawheads. This time, the light bursts of the eyes and mouths of the rawheads and the bodies fall to the ground quietly on the wood chips. Purah runs back. In a quiet voice, she says, "Hurry. The light may alert the others."

The group races through the woodland. Occasionally, Purah points, holds up her hand to stop the group, then runs ahead to smite rawheads, leaving the bodies where they lie.

Sweating and dirty, Sam and Claire pant as the group returns to the playground. The dim, early light before dawn reveals an empty space underneath the slide platform.

"Where did the bodies go?" Claire asks Sam quietly.

"Huh," Sam says. Using his sincere and reasonable voice, he asks, "Purah, what happened to the bodies?"

Purah glances at Asariel.

"The rawheads were visitors here. They returned," Asariel says, looking back at Purah.

"It is hard to find the right words," Purah says slowly. She disappears, then reappears with the Impala in the parking lot.

Dean props the trunk open. Sam tosses his taser in. Dean's arm snaps out and catches it before it falls into the trunk. Claire hands Dean her taser and cartridge.

Purah continues, "The borders of reality bleed and create a space between concordant realities ... it creates a reflexive universal reaction."

Sam, Dean, and Claire exchange glances. Sam presses Purah, "What does it mean when the borders bleed?"

Purah and Asariel look at each other and Purah shrugs as she looks at Sam. "It is difficult to explain. Later. We've had a shakedown. Securing the Book of the Damned is paramount."

 **The Bunker**

 _Library_

Sam sits at a table, dark shadows visible under his eyes. A row of bullets and witchcraft material cover the desk. He fills up one last bullet, then taps it just right, sealing the bullet.

Dean sits on the other side, double checking the bullets. He chuckles, gets up and walks around the desk. Sam ignores him and tidies the tools on the desk. Dean gives his brother a noogie with his fist.

"Ugh, knock it off, Dean!" Sam yells, giving Dean an angry glare.

Dean backs off. "Witch-killing bullets," Dean chuckles again, smiling fondly at Sam.

Claire leans against a bookshelf with a blank face. She looks washed up after the sweaty run in the park and is dressed in clean clothes. Her light leather jacket doesn't hide the handle of a gun sticking out of a new under-armpit holster and slim handles protruding from two sheaths. Her eyes rove over the room, cataloging the differences between the memories given to her by Castiel and what is there now. A table used to stand where a bed now guards the entrance to the library, giving the place a shabby motel room appearance. Two mismatched sofa chairs and a wood coffee table fill an alcove with low shelves where, in the memories of their future, there was nothing. She pulls out her cell phone, 5:48 a.m.

 **Abandoned Factory**

Purah enters the factory, the others following her. Sam gestures to one side and the group splits.

Without needing to turn her head to see Sam, Purah glides in that direction, Dean taking the rear. Purah and Dean enter a small square room without a door. It looks like it used to be an office in the factory. Rowena is asleep on top of a mattress on the floor.

"What ...," Rowena drawls out as she wakes and rolls over.

Purah steps aside.

 _Boom_. Dean raises his gun and shoots Rowena.

The bullet punches her chest.

Rowena's body jerks. Flames burst out and lick at the edges of the wound. Rowena's eyes are wide with shock. She coughs once.

Purah cups the fiber at the mouth of the flask of witch-killing brew. The fiber ignites.

 _Boom_. Dean fires a second time. A hole appears in Rowena's forehead. Flames lick at the wound. The sound of the gunshot echoes deafeningly in the enclosed space. Rowena's head rocks back. She opens her mouth, desperately voicing an incantation. The iron shackles on her wrists shift and rattle.

Purah throws her flask at Rowena. The glass shatters improbably on Rowena's body as if it had struck a hard surface.

Rowena screams. Her body bursts into flames.

In the main room of the abandoned factory, Claire flinches as she hears the screams. She glances back in the direction of the sound, then turns her gaze to Sam.

Sam stares down at the table with the Book of the Damned. He picks up the Book and puts it into the warded box, flipping the lid closed. "Hey," he says quietly to Claire. "I could use a hand with these papers."

Claire steps forward and picks up the tidy stack of papers and the Codex. "Doesn't look like you need much help," Claire comments.

Sam gives her a pained smile. "It's the best lead we have on getting the Mark off Dean." He looks at the warded box. "You don't know how different he's been. I want you to know .. he wouldn't have killed Randy if he was himself. Dean can be ... hard ... but he's a good person," Sam heaves a sigh.

Dean and Purah stand at the edge of the main room of the factory, a pair of iron shackles dangling from Dean's hand. Dean's eyes flick over the scene, Sam holding the box, Claire holding Nadia's codex and papers, and Asariel watching the pair of humans. "You got everything?" Dean asks in a gruff voice.

Sam looks around. "Yeah, we've got everything."

 **St. Louis, MO  
**

 _A Strip Club_

Morning light spills in through the small, high windows of the club. The club is empty of patrons. Steven stands on the stage, running a mop over the sloped, tiled floor in the center of the stage. Cyrus listens to his iPod. Eli watches the scene alertly, without a trace of impatience.

A dancer with light brown hair walks from the hostess station up on the stage to Steven. He hands over the mop with a good-natured slap on her shoulder. She takes over the mopping. Steven looks over at Eli and Cyrus, and waves them over. Eli gets up and nudges Cyrus with his hand to rouse him.

"Helen's closing. Come on back," Steven says. He walks to a small, cluttered office in the back of the strip club. They sit down. A round clock hanging on the wall reads 6:12.

"Who are you tracking?" Steven asks, slouching into his office chair.

"A girl. She recovered the Book," Eli says.

Steven sits up. "What?"

"Yeah. Jacob went after her, got killed. She was with Dean and Sam Winchester, hunters and ... Men of Letters," Eli says, drawling out the last few words.

A flicker of emotion passes over Steven's face as Eli mentions the Winchesters. "Are they here?" Steven says with alarm, his whole body tensed.

Eli shakes his head. "I'm no fool. I won't pick a fight Jacob and his boys lost. Cy here's gonna get out of the family," Eli says, sitting back a little in his chair.

"You agree to this?" Steven asks Cyrus shortly.

Cyrus nods.

"Speak up, kiddo," Steven says.

"Yes. I don't want to ... I want to become a librarian," Cyrus says.

Steven glances between Eli and Cyrus with a baffled expression.

"Uncle Monroe thinks his sons gotta be like Eldon or Jacob to be his true son. Librarian's a good profession, research needing to be done, organizing information, databases. Could help out some at home, if Monroe weren't so close-minded," Eli says. His attempt to be encouraging to Cyrus feels forced.

"That's your dad he's talking about," Steven says to Cyrus with a quirk of his lips.

Cyrus looks up but doesn't answer.

"Steven, I know you wanted out," Eli says.

"I'm as out as I can be, and Walter and Mike are at my place recuperating from an assignment and perving on Helen and the dancers when they come here," Steven says with a trace of annoyance. "...Fine ... what do you need me for?"

"Give Cy here a place to stay, pretend he's helping track the girl. After it's all over, he makes himself useful and stays here with you. Uncle Monroe will see sense one day," Eli says.

"... Who's paying for his room and board?" Steven looks at Eli.

"Family, Steven," Eli says.

Steven sighs and mutters, "Fine." He leans forward. "The Book is important. All the branches of the family should be in on this, not only Monroe and Shreveport."

Eli leans forward, playing Steven for all he is worth. He nods. "I'm here to ask for your help. We both know Dean ... and Dean don't know we belong to the family. You and I, we set a trap for him. We'll reel him in nice and easy."

 **Heaven**

 _A Community Garden_

Hannah and Castiel sit side-by-side at a picnic bench underneath an airy roof at the top of a rise in the garden. The sounds of their speech feel warm and intimate in the summer air. Several angels sit at two other picnic benches in the shade.

An angel wearing a flight jacket and tan slacks appears on the path between two raised beds, casually walking towards the picnic shelter. His worn, lined face is impassive. "Hannah."

"Thomas. The Winchesters and Castiel's prior vessel, Claire, have the Book of the Damned sealed in a warded box. Please work with them to keep the Book safe and to improve security on their home. Purah will meet you at the Portal and brief you. Asariel remains with the humans at their home. Have you their cell phone numbers?"

"Yes."

"The Mark on Dean Winchester's arm may be related to the Void. Investigation is vital," Hannah says.

The angel nods very briefly. "May I consult with Sophia on the matter?"

"Yes. And .. check in with Sabathiel," Hannah says.

"Yes, of course, Hannah." Thomas disappears with a flutter of wings.

Castiel looks at Hannah. He reaches out and clasps her hand. "Thank you."

Hannah looks fondly at Castiel. She squeezes his hand gently, then releases it. "Tamiel approaches." She checks her angel blade. Five angels at the other two benches stand and surround her. Castiel gets up, standing at Hannah's left side.

The garden disappears. The angels stand in the comfortable alcove, now much bigger to accommodate additional angels.

Tamiel sits on a stuffed, armless chair in the alcove. Four angels surround him. He rises to his feet and bows, then stands upright, looking Hannah in the eyes. "The Ruler of Heaven," Tamiel says. "I would not have thought it of you, Hannah."

Without expression on her face, Hannah says calmly, "We are all who remain."

Tamiel's lip curls into a sneer as he glances at Castiel, "...yet greatly altered." Even cut off from Heaven, perhaps he had heard the mass death cries of the angels killed by Castiel. Looking at Hannah, he continues more respectfully, "The meek shall inherit. It is a new era."

Hannah looks solemnly at Tamiel. "Thank you for your words, Tamiel. You have lived among them since the beginning, yet you feel contempt. Why?" Hannah asks.

"It is because I have lived among them. It was a mistake for our Father to give poorly made beasts the gift of free will. The more choices they have, the more wrongly they choose." Tamiel assesses Hannah with a cold look. "If you will have me, I will serve. All are endangered by what occurs in the future. And perhaps your leadership in Heaven will uplift the souls on earth."

Hannah nods slightly. "Sophia tells me that a debriefing may endanger you."

"She speaks rightly. We Grigori are elite. Naomi and David have been successful with debriefings." The words roll off of Tamiel's tongue.

"They are dead," Hannah tells him. "I will not request that you undergo a debriefing. We reopened the Gates of Heaven. Certain souls in difficult situations remain trapped in the Veil and require guidance. It is a mission requiring skill in moving among the humans. I would like you to handle this."

"And what of Ramiel and Puriel?" Tamiel asks.

"Dead, also." Hannah looks at Castiel.

Castiel says, "They died when we raided Hell for Dean Winchester's soul. Zachariah ordered us to enter without vessels. They fell as we fought our way through the Pit."

"Madness." Tamiel looks at Castiel without his typical contempt. "And they obeyed," he states flatly.

"Of course," Castiel says without emotion.

"Tamiel, you will advise me, so that I will not make these mistakes. Or if I do, they will be corrected," Hannah says.

"Spoken as one who is ... humble. I will obey," Tamiel responds in a controlled voice.

Castiel glances between Hannah and Tamiel. "And what of the humans you captured?"

Tamiel looks to Hannah when he speaks. "With your permission, I will watch over them and guide their ascendance to Elysium. I regret damaging their souls," he says sincerely.

"Very well. I accept your service," Hannah says.

Light descends on Tamiel.

 **The Bunker**

 _Kitchen_

Dean stands at the fridge and Purah's vessel sits at the small table in the kitchen. "That was wrong making Purah steal food for you. She's an angel," Purah's vessel says in-between bites of a spinach tortilla wrap. "And a gun ... and a holster .. and those sheaths for Claire. You're a total thief. And like a liar, like you lie ... all the time."

"Huh," Dean grunts, getting out a plastic bottle of organic blueberry juice and pouring a glass for Purah's vessel. "You were awake for that?"

"I'm awake most of the time! You're taking advantage of the angels helping you," Purah's vessel accuses him.

Dean walks between the portable dryer racks littering the kitchen, and sets the glass of dark purple liquid on the table by her plate. "Store was closed," Dean says shortly. His cell phone buzzes. Looming over Purah's child vessel, he pulls it out and glances at the screen; 6:55 a.m. The number isn't in his contacts list. Dean brings the phone to his ear, "Hey."

"Speakerphone," Purah's vessel whispers.

Dean glances at her and turns on speakerphone.

Steven's hearty voice comes through clearly, "Hey Dean? It's Steven. Remember me? 10 years back, hoodoo priest cursed me. New Orleans?"

"Yeah .. Steven," Dean says in a slightly surprised voice. "How've you been?"

"Great, got the hell out of New Orleans like I wanted to. I'm managing a club in St. Louis, living with my girls. Except uh .. look .. a patron at the Club, he might be a ... witch," Steven says.

"He killed anyone?" Dean asks, cutting to the chase.

"No ... He, uh, gives off this rapey vibe. It creeps out the dancers," Steven stumbles over his words.

"Can't deal with it right now," Dean says shortly.

"How'd you get Dean's number?" Purah's vessel cuts in.

"What? Uh ... I paid a psychic. Who are you?" Steven asks.

"I'm Dean's -"

"She's my niece. Lauren be quiet," Dean cuts in quickly.

"Your little bro's?" Steven asks.

"Yeah," Dean says.

"Congratulations," Steven says, "Man, the stories you told about him. If you're half as proud of his kiddo as you are of him, it's no wonder she's got an attitude," he says with a chuckle. "Uh .. look, I'm in deep here .. that witch is .. I know he's gonna be trouble. There's a conclave of witches in St. Louis. The city's about to implode. Please, I'm begging you. It's not just me, the whole damn city's in danger."

Dean thinks a moment, looking at Lauren. "I'll mail you hex bags."

"Hex bags?" Steven asks.

"Best I can do." Dean shrugs off Steven's concern. "Hang on a couple weeks and Sam and I can get to you."

"You working a case? ... You know what, never mind. I'll come to you," Steven says, changing direction mid-thought. "Tell me where to meet and I'll meet you there."

Dean thinks again. "Minneapolis."

"Great!" Steven says in an overly hearty voice. "I'll get the next flight."

"Yeah," Dean says. "Give me a call when you're in town." He hangs up.

Lauren looks at Dean with narrowed eyes. "That was totally suspicious." A streak of light flies into the kitchen and circles Lauren's head. "Yes, Purah," Lauren says. She opens her mouth and the light pours inside.

 **St. Louis, MO  
**

 _Office in the Strip Club  
_

Steven hangs up, his face flushed. He gets up out his chair and yanks a stapled packet of accounting papers off the desk, shoving it unnecessarily forcefully into a file cabinet. Wet sweat stains his armpits.

Eli has a set look on his face. "I'll come with you to Minneapolis. Cy stays here." Cyrus looks over at Eli.

"Yeah," Steven says heavily. "Let's get this over with. I need to stop by my mom's place."

 **St. Louis, MO**

 _A Garage_

The two-car attached garage is neatly organized. Different size boxes and jars fill the tightly-packed shelves in the far half of the garage. A blue Toyota Starlet from the 1980s sits in the other half of the garage.

The back door swings open, spilling light into the space. Steven slides a doorstop into place with his foot. He strides quickly past the car, to a shelf in the front corner, stoops down and pulls out a box.

"Steven?" A middle-aged woman peers out the door connecting the house to the garage.

"Mom!" Steven straightens up. "Sorry, ma, did I wake you?"

"No, sweetie. What are you doing?"

"I'm getting some of my stuff," Steven answers. "Eli needs help with a job."

"What job?" she asks with a worried frown.

Steven pauses a moment, "Minneapolis. We're flying up to Minneapolis to talk to an old .. friend of mine."

A relieved look crosses her face. "Oh, sweetie, what if a griffon is sucked into an engine? It's safer to drive. And will you pick up unicorn parts?"

"What? Mom come on," Steven says. "They're such a pain."

"They're so rare, sweetie and it's the last major convergence with faerie before the world might end. Would you like to take my car? I know you get worried about taking your car where it might get scratched."

"No! Mom, it's fine. I'm not a baby! I'll ask Walter, he's got a van." Steven says. He strides over to his mom and gives her a hug. "I'll be fine. How's the conference going?"

"Well, it's not good, it's not bad. No one's died yet. You know how these things go."

"I actually don't, but ... mom it'll be fine," Steven soothes. "I'll get the unicorn parts and, because I'm awesome, griffon parts and any fae I can get my hands on," he smirks as he says the last words.

"Take care of yourself first, Steven," she says worriedly. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure," He smiles. His mom disappears back into the house. The door swings shuts with a slight click. The smile disappears as soon as she is gone.

 **St. Louis, MO**

 _Outside of a Secluded House_

A old white van sits in the driveway, facing away from the house. Two men, Helen, and Steven walk from the house to the van, loading more coolers into the open back of the van. At the entrance to the house, Eli hugs Cy. "Take care of yourself, you hear?"

"I will," Cy says. A thump sounds behind them as someone shuts the back of the van. Eli releases Cy, then walks to the van.

Steven and Helen stop kissing when Eli approaches.

"Let's get this show on the road," Steven says, letting go of Helen's hands. He swings himself up into the front passenger seat. Helen and the large, bulky man walk towards Cy and the house. The taller, bearded man gets into the driver's seat of the van. As the van pulls out onto the road, Steven takes out his cell phone; 9:51 a.m. He texts Dean.

change of plans. faerie coming into Minneapolis. driving up.

 **The Bunker**

 _Library_

The inside of the library has been rearranged. Two more beds crowd the main space of the library's floor. Claire sits on the far bed. Asariel stands near the entrance, putting the finishing touches on scrawling Enochian runes drawn across the floor, walls, and support pillars. Dean lies on the middle bed and Thomas' vessel sits beside him. He holds Dean's arm carefully in gloved hands and examines the Mark of Cain. A streak of light hovers over Dean.

Dean's cell phone buzzes briefly. He doesn't answer. His chest is bare and filmed with sweat, breathing heavily, he stares at the vessel's face. A silver probe is inserted into the right side of Dean's chest. A short line of dried blood cuts across Dean's left chest. The streak of light touches the probe, then flows rapidly into Dean's chest and comes out of his mouth.

The light circles rapidly. The man opens his mouth and the light re-enters its vessel.

"I'm withdrawing the probe," Thomas says. Dean grits his teeth. As the head of the probe leaves Dean's body, the angel places his index and middle finger over the wound, healing it. A small spill of blood appears where the exit wound would have been. The probe disappears from the angel's hand. He wraps gold mesh over Dean's right forearm. Under his hands, the tiny gold chains of the sleeve rattle and knit themselves together. "The examination is complete." The angel stands up and steps away carefully over the runes on the floor.

Purah and Sam appear beside the bed next to the angel. "Dean!" Sam cries out, leaning over Dean's body.

Dean sits up, cradling his right arm with his left arm. The right side arm lies limp and the muscles of the arm and the head of the shoulder bulge in and out obscenely, as if the muscles slid closer to the elbow after being disconnected from the bone. "I'm fine." His face is carefully blank.

Sam looks at the way Dean holding his right arm. "How ... how did it go?"

"Good. Can't feel the Mark." Dean takes a shaky breath. "Can't feel my arm."

A look of alarm crosses Sam's face.

Thomas interrupts before Sam can speak. "Perhaps my explanation will clarify the situation."

"Go ahead," Dean says.

"Dean, you're hurt," Sam protests, looking at the blood on Dean's chest and Dean's abnormally shaped right arm.

"It's fine, all healed up," Dean says shortly. Looking at Sam's face full of consternation, he says with false heartiness, "I'm peachy."

Sam's alarmed expression doesn't soften much, but he settles down and sits on the edge of the bed looking at Dean and Thomas.

In a steady, restrained voice, the angel speaks to Dean. "What creates the Mark on your body is a device that controls access to a space. There is no natural egress. It was designed to protect itself from destruction. The physical appearance of the Mark and influence on your thoughts and body, may be unintended side effects either of the device manifesting in this dimension, or of what lies inside the space. It is likely that malevolent influence transfers to souls and bodies in your proximity."

Sam and Dean glance at each other, then look away.

"So both of us are ..." Dean doesn't finish.

Sam leans forward, looking at Thomas' lined face. "So what you're telling us is that the Mark is more like a wound, not a curse. The real problem is something like ... the key to Lucifer's cage is inside Dean."

"Like a wound and a cage, yes. There is an active and recursive element to the malevolent influence," Thomas responds levelly.

"Right ... an active spell and a curse," Sam sits back, looking thoughtful.

Claire asks, "How close is in proximity?"

Thomas turns to face Claire. "It would be time-consuming to test, but it can be done. However, it is safe to assume that we are all within proximity at this time."

"All of us?" Dean asks.

"Yes," the angel answers.

"Including you, Purah and Asariel?" Dean checks again, as if the answer might be different.

"Yes."

Dean's face is impassive as he takes in the news.

Thomas continues, "I disconnected the nerves and muscles to your right arm. This is reversible and will reduce the influence of the Mark on the remainder of your physical form. The mesh will absorb a portion of the malevolent influence." Thomas pauses and looks levelly at Dean, giving him an opportunity to speak. When Dean remains silent, Thomas says, "Please excuse me. I want to report on this matter in person."

"Wait," Claire calls out. "What does the malevolent influence do?"

"It would vary by the individual. What I see in Dean in general is an imbalance and distortion. Existing tendencies are made stronger. Emotions that evoke multiple possible actions tend towards a destructive or harmful response." Thomas stops speaking abruptly.

"Thanks," Claire says.

The angel nods, then disappears.

The room is silent for a moment.

"We should get some sleep," Sam says.

"Right," Dean says. He gets up. "I'm gonna take a shower." He grabs his shirt from the bed and walks away, his right arm dangling at his side. Purah follows him.

Claire and Sam face each other, sitting on their beds. "What's Lucifer's cage?" Claire asks.

Sam takes a deep breath as he tells Claire about the Apocalypse in more detail. "The Cage ... it's ... it's a burning pit and labyrinth. I don't remember much." Sam clears his throat. "It was created to be a prison for Lucifer. The key to the Cage is the rings from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Death helped us with that ... he ... he might be willing to help again...," Sam trails off thoughtfully.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Alley near the Police Station  
_

Donna Hanscum drives past a modern-looking brick and glass police station in downtown Minneapolis and parks near an unusually clean, empty, litter-free alley. She gets out of her car and reaches inside to pick up a bag of takeout and a molded cardboard tray with two drinks. She walks around the car near the alley and slams into the body of the car as if struck. The drinks and bag of food fly out of her hands. Blood appears on a gash along her cheek.

She grunts and grabs at the invisible creature. Her hand closes on a weapon. Her body jerks back and forth in the silent struggle.

She screams once.

Her left leg gives out.

She drops to one knee.

 _Thump. Crunch. Thump._

Donna falls to her side, blood from her shattered ribs staining her shirt, hanging onto an invisible weapon.

Her head rocks back. Her nose is smashed and bleeding. Her eyes roll in her head.

Her grip loosens and falls to her side.

A gash appears along her throat.

Bright red blood appears across her pale skin.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Inside the Police Station_

Jody Mills stands in the lobby area, chatting with a grey-haired police officer.

"Thanks for all your help, Mike," Jody says.

"Sure, no problem. Great work finding those missing kids," the man says warmly. "Glad you two picked the big city to vacation in."

Jody smiles thinly. "I'm pretty sure it ain't over yet."

Mike looks a little nonplussed. "What makes you say that?"

Jody catches herself. "My cynical side acting up. Lemme go wave Donna down. I saw an open parking spot right outside."

"Sure," Mike says agreeably, even though his voice and face show a trace of suspicion.

Jody walks outside, pulling out her cell phone. The phone rings faintly. She looks around and sees the car, then walks down the block. She sees a shadow on the ground and breaks into a run.

She stops at the entrance to the alley. Donna's body lies on the ground, throat slit, ribs caved in. The ground near Donna's throat is stained. The bag of takeout and spilled drinks are scattered on the otherwise clean, empty alley. A look of frozen horror on her face, Jody presses one hand to the side of the car to steady herself.

 _Clink. Scrape._

Jody's eyes flick to where she thinks she heard the noise. Nothing is there. She turns and runs.

 **Notes:**

Thanks to the wonderful my-spirit-animal-is-the-impala, TigerintheTARDIS, Skylark22155, Dance4thedead, and gabrielstolethetardis for beta of Chapter 2.


	3. Episode 3, The Two Cities

**The Road So Far**

Previously, Dean, Sam, Claire, Purah, and Asariel meet Jody Mills and Donna Hanscum in Minneapolis and fight rawheads. Jody agrees to look for information on the Stynes. Dean and Purah kill Rowena while Sam and Claire take the Book of the Damned, Nadia's Codex, and Rowena's notes.

Meanwhile, Eli and Cyrus Styne meet Steven in a strip club in St. Louis. Eli convinces Steven to take in Cyrus and to help him trap Dean to get at Charlie. Steven calls Dean. Dean tells him to meet in Minneapolis and give him a call when he gets there. Steven gets stuff from his mom's garage. His mom convinces him to drive up because of a faerie convergence. The Stynes start the drive to Minneapolis.

In Heaven, Hannah sends an angel to Sam and Dean to fortify the Bunker and investigate the Mark of Cain. She meets Tamiel and accepts his service, reinstating him in Heaven. Thomas, the angel sent by Hannah, investigates the Mark of Cain and has a conversation with Sam, Dean, and Claire.

A block away from the main police station in Minneapolis, Donna is attacked and killed by an invisible monster. Jody comes on the scene.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Alley Near a Police Station_

Jody runs from the alley entrance. Her feet pound the sidewalk in unnatural silence. She gasps for breath; somehow no sound comes from her mouth. The sameness of the brick wall of the police station and the broad concrete sidewalk make the city block feel endless.

At the glass entrance to the station, the quiet breaks. A dull roar of city traffic and noise returns. Jody places a shaking hand on the metal of the door and pulls it open. As she steps inside, the cold air inside the building washes over her sweating body.

Mike is chatting with two other police officers: one's a heavy man in his forties and the other, a young, fresh-faced recruit. His face rumples up in concern as he sees Jody. He speaks to the other two officers, then they all walk over to her.

Jody looks at the three police officers. She takes a deep breath and stops herself from shaking. "Donna's dead."

 **Season 11 Episode 3: The Twin Cities**

Police officers swarm over the scene, near Donna's body and around the mouth of the alley. Jody presses against the brick wall of the massive police station that forms one side of the alley. The everyday hum of city traffic is reassuring tether to normality.

Mike walks up to her, a combination of pity and shock on his kind face, as he says, "Sorry, Jody. This is ... we're going to catch whoever did this. We have surveillance cameras all along the buildings. Right here." Mike shakes his head in disbelief.

"Yeah," Jody says levelly, without believing his empty reassurance, "...yeah, can I uh, see those tapes?"

Mike frowns and looks cautiously at Jody. "Yeah. Detective Ruiz gets first crack at them. I'll ... I'll get you in to take a look at them if she won't."

"Thanks," Jody says with an empty voice.

 **Bunker**

 _The Library_

Dean walks back into the library, looking disgruntled, his head wrapped in a towel and his right hand tucked into the pocket of his jeans to limit the movement of his flaccid arm. Purah follows him, walking lightly and alertly as usual.

Sam stands at the table, prepping a bowl and other witchcraft ingredients. He glances at his older brother, then looks back at the spell. Claire sits next to Sam and watches him work.

Dean looks at the ingredients. "You summoning?"

"Death." Exhaustion tinges Sam's voice and he distractedly checks the ingredients for the spell.

Dean walks past Sam to sit down heavily on the bed in the middle of the room, a tired, careful strength in his movement. He looks up at Sam's tired face. "You look like death, Sammy."

Sam's lips tighten into an annoyed line.

Dean unwraps the towel around his head with his left hand and takes out his cell phone; the time on the screen is 10:15 a.m. He opens Steven's text message and his eyebrows knot. "Fairies in Minneapolis," he tells Sam.

"What?" Sam asks, looking at Dean.

Dean dials Jody.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Alley Near a Police Station_

Jody picks up her cell phone. "Dean."

"Jody. Old friend I met on a case ten, twelve years back-"

"Now's not a good time." Jody says shortly as she eyes the detective on the scene. The slight Latino woman talks to Mike. As if she feels Jody's eyes on her, the detective turns and glances at Jody, giving her a nod. Jody gives a nod of acknowledgement back.

"Fairies coming into Minneapolis. They're dangerous. Give us a call," Dean sums up abruptly, then moves to end the call.

"Wait. What's their MO?" Jody asks in a low voice.

Dean hesitates as he gathers his thoughts. "Leprechauns make deals. Redcaps stalk. They uh, might look like UFOs, white lights, taking people away."

"Donna's dead," Jody says flatly and pauses. Dean does not respond. "She drove by, I followed her out. Her car was park a block away by an alley next to the police station. Body was on the ground by the car. Throat cut. Not enough blood on the ground. Then I heard a noise. No one visible. Alley was empty. I couldn't ... stop myself from running. I couldn't hear anything, my breath, my footsteps. Made it a block to the entrance to the station and the sounds came back."

"Sounds going away and coming back, could be a redcap. Got stalked four, five years back." Dean pauses before he can make himself go on. "They make you afraid."

"Yeah," Jody says shortly.

"It's not going to let up. They can go through bars. I was in lockup and it got in." Dean pauses as he changes his angle of thought. "They're invisible. 'Least, Sammy never saw the body of a tinkerbell I killed in a microwave."

Sam's voice comes over the phone. They must be on speaker. "Jody, if it's a redcap, burning or drying out the cap might kill it. Listen, in the lore, silver and iron is supposed to hurt them, it barely slowed down the leprechaun I fought. Spilling grains of salt and asking him to do me the favor of counting them distracted it long enough for an unsummoning."

Dean cuts in, "These aren't summoned, Sammy."

"How else would they get here?" Sam snaps.

"I don't know, he said they were coming in."

"That's not much of an answer, Dean." Sam's tone of disapproval radiates over the phone.

Jody looks over at the detective and Mike finishing up their conversation. She cuts in, "Listen. How long have I got?"

"Less than a half-hour, going by one that stalked me," Dean answers her.

"Talk to your friend. I'm going to check the surveillance and get that info on the Stynes to you," Jody says curtly.

"Yeah." Dean ends the call.

Jody slips the phone into her pocket and eases her way through to Mike and the detective.

From up close, the dull black hair and hard, lined planes of the detective's face make her look old and weary. "Jody, Detective Maria Ruiz."

The detective offers her hand in greeting.

Jody shakes her hand. "Jody Mills," she introduces herself.

Ruiz leans forward aggressively. The sunlight glints off non-regulation jewelry hidden by the collar and the cuffs of her police uniform, drawing Jody's gaze. Her eyes flick back up at Ruiz's face, then back to the detective's hand. On her right hand, Ruiz wears a set of heavy silver and black iron rings with sharply protruding symbols. The symbols on the first and second rings look like devil's traps.

"I love your rings-" Jody holds onto Ruiz' hand longer than normal.

Mike interrupts, speaking quickly, unlike his usual thoughtful, controlled speech, "They're good luck. Ruiz here is our top detective. I'm not a superstitious man, but you can't break that luck." His smile is slightly forced.

"I don't knock good luck charms. You've had troubles with black smoke," Jody states. She looks searchingly at Ruiz's face.

"We've had our share," Ruiz answers in a low, raspy voice. She pronounces each word carefully as if it hurts to speak. "Mike tells me you want to see the surveillance tapes."

"Yeah. I don't have much time left." Jody glances down at Donna's body and the blood-stained ground.

"Right." Ruiz nods to Inspector Mike and walks off. Jody follows her and catches up, walking side by side.

Once they are out of hearing range, Jody begins to talk. "Friend says it's a redcap."

"We'll see," Ruiz comments hoarsely. "He say more?"

"That fairies are coming in and not summoned. Burning or drying out the cap might kill it." Jody hesitates. "If I don't make it, my friends need information about a family called the Stynes."

An emotion flickers across Ruiz' stony face too quickly to identify. "Sure," she agrees, "what's their email?"

"Let me look it up," Jody says, pulling out her phone.

The duo steps into the cool, air-conditioned lobby of the station, pausing for Jody to text Ruiz, then walk down a hallway into an office where a heavy police officer with a scraggly ponytail sits at the desk.

Ruiz says, "Anderson, surveillance on the parking alley, South Fifth and South Forth."

Jody looks around the room. "Nice office," she comments idly, phone still in one hand. The office is tidy, with minimal clutter, papers neatly filed or in an inbox/outbox system. Anderson nods, but doesn't speak.

Ruiz enters the email address into her own phone. "If you'll wait outside." Ruiz motions out the door.

Jody's lips thin ever so slightly. "Yeah," she says in a controlled, even voice.

 **Bunker**

 _The Library_

Dean's phone lies on the bed next to him, his good arm on his thigh, as he calmly lays out his plan. "Jody could use the backup and Purah or Asariel could take you and Claire and end that redcap. As long as the Mark stays on me-"

Sam's voice is strained with fatigue and desperate exasperation when he interrupts. "No! We are not splitting up so you can pull-"

"I'm not going!" Purah's vessel bursts out suddenly. She sits next to Claire at the table covered in summoning materials.

"Lauren?" Dean looks at her.

"It's scary there. There's more holes." Lauren cringes and draws her body inward as she says, "I don't want to go."

"What holes?" Dean gets up and walks the few steps to the end of the table so he can get a better look at her face.

"Like holes if you go through, it's scary," Lauren says. The strained look of fear is out of place on her soft, young face. "Like stuff that's real isn't real. If you look, the world is different."

Sam looks at the young teenaged vessel across the table with his tired eyes. "Lauren, have you been awake?" His gangly arms pause in mid-air above the beaten metal summoning bowl.

"Yes."

"Were you watchingDeanintheshower?" Sam squishes the last few words together.

The disgruntled look reappears on Dean's face.

"No! We helped," Lauren says with a note of pride. Her voice firms as she speaks. "He can't move his right arm and it's better if he doesn't touch it and it was hard to get it into a sleeve. I have to be awake to keep watch if he does anything sneaky that Purah won't understand," Lauren crosses her arms and looks up at Dean with a self-righteous glare.

Sam puts on his empathetic face. "Right, right of course," he says. "I'm glad you were there to help him. Thanks, Lauren."

Claire turns to look at the young teenager. "Hey Lauren, what were you saying about the holes?"

"They're scary," Lauren states, without the terror that was in her voice earlier.

"Yeah, are the holes the concordant reality?"

"No. Those are like ... souls crossing over from a different universe 'cause changing the past messes up our universe, like the rawheads. Like in biology class ... osmosis ... no that's water ... diffusion I think? Only it's like osmosis 'cause it's special." She uncrosses her arms and puts her hands on the edge of the table, "Most of them will go back. Purah was just helping you so you'd feel better and practice working like a team. The scary holes are the ones in our reality. The ones that angels can fall into. Purah's different sometimes. You're all different, only you don't know it." In a softer voice, she whispers, "Even me. Only, I don't know when it's me."

 _Snap._

The side of the table cracks and the wood splinters underneath her angel powered grip, the ingredients on the table jittering. Sam grabs the summoning bowl and Dean and Claire hurriedly shove the ingredients on the broken piece of tabletop to safety. Lauren releases her hold and the edge of the table sags down.

Sam, Dean, and Claire stare down at the broken table.

Sam puts down the summoning bowl. Gently, he suggests, "Would it be better if you slept through it?"

"I don't want to sleep through it. That's scarier. It's better to see it coming," Lauren says in a small voice.

"Damn right it's-" Dean cuts himself off underneath Sam's narrow, corner-of-the-eye glare and sits back down on the bed, his right arm flopping against his body. He changes the topic. "Jody's in trouble. Lauren, you said there's more of them in Minneapolis?"

"Yeah," Lauren replies.

"Is it dangerous for an angel to go into the holes?"

Lauren hesitates. "No ... just ... not safe. If it's a hole that angels can't go inside, Purah won't be able to help as much. She won't be all the way awake."

Dean flicks through his phone with his left hand. "What about demons?"

"They're like you. They have souls. They just fall into any hole." Lauren frowns. "Purah doesn't like demons being close to you. They're a bad influence."

"Huh," Dean grunts. He puts his phone on speaker as someone picks up.

"The King, speaking." Crowley's voluptuous voice skitters with random harmonics and static.

Lauren glances away, where Asariel is out of sight of the humans. "Asariel says the wards interfere with communication with creatures of evil."

"I can't hear a bloody thing you're saying," Crowley drawls. "Send an email. I'll make sure to check my spam folder."

Dean fiddles with his phone and slowly types out an email.

In a small voice, Lauren offers, "I'll go. Asariel should finish the wards."

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Office in a Police Station_

Anderson leaves the office. When the door shuts, Ruiz walks to the window and waits. She hears Anderson and Jody's muffled voices as they talk, then their footsteps walking away. She opens the window. A crow flies down and perches on the windowsill. It takes a short jaunt onto the desk, claws skittering over the hard plastic surface.

Ruiz clicks play on the security video.

The video shows Donna pulling past the empty alley and getting out of the car. The crow stares intently at the video, cocking its head to the right. A scrawny, dirty man with a red knitted cap appears in the video, loitering in the alley. He's dressed in a mismatched outfit of buckskin pants, a medieval tunic, dirty leather boots, and dull red, knitted hat. A short sword is in a belt sheath and he holds a spear in both hands. The redcap lowers its spear and drives it at the woman, but Donna seems to sense the movement and dodges.

The spear passes through the body of the car and the redcap stumbles and slams into Donna's body. The tray of drinks and bag of food fly out of her hands.

Ruiz frowns, looking even grimmer. The crow hops on the desk, claws clicking and scratching.

The redcap crouches by Donna's body. Taking off his dull red cap, he dips it into the blood. The liquid wicks into the cap and brightens it into a vibrant red, leaving a dry stain on the ground. Ruiz watches as Jody comes on the scene. The redcap pulls the hat over its head and smiles widely at Jody. Jody runs. A shimmering wall of light ripples through the alley. As the light passes over the redcap, it disappears.

Ruiz sits stiffly for a moment, her eyes closed. Unclasping a rosary from around her neck, she holds it as she prays. "Gabriel. A redcap stalks Jody Mills, a sheriff from Sioux Falls. It crossed in a moving wall of light." Ruiz pauses as a fit of coughing overtakes her. "Gabriel, Mills asked for information on the Stynes for Sam Winchester if she dies."

The crow flies the short hop to the windowsill, then takes off with beating wings. Ruiz takes a long, rattling breath, then pushes herself to her feet.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Outside a Building_

Purah, Sam, and Claire appear outside of a one-story building lined with a dull strip of grass, a broad sidewalk, and spindly young trees. Behind them, the bland lettering on the brick facing reads: Social Security Administration Field Office. Sam glances around, assessing the surroundings.

The angel's face tenses. Lauren speaks rapidly, separating each word with a tight staccato pause. "It's me. We're inside a hole."

"Alright." Sam dips a hand into a pocket to take out his cell phone.

Claire looks at the younger teen. "What's in this hole?"

"Demons aren't as strong, that's a good one for us." Lauren's voice brightens and she looks less anxious. "The downtown is full of fairy magic. Like, we might walk down a street and be somewhere else if we turn a corner or blink."

Sam starts talking to Jody. "Hey Jody ... I'm back in Minneapolis with Claire and Purah, we're outside the Social Security Administration Field Office-"

"Let's hold hands," Purah whispers and looks up at Claire.

Claire reaches out and accepts Lauren's hand wordlessly. She looks at Sam and takes his large hand in her own, their fingers interlaced underneath the messenger bag on Sam's shoulder. Sam glances down calmly at the two teenagers.

Lauren starts to walk, leading the two humans with her. "It's 1811 Chicago Ave South," Lauren states, seeming to hear the other end of the conversation.

"Yeah, uh huh ... it's as close as Purah could take us, 1811 Chicago Avenue South ... no she won't be able to ... huh, yeah, a couple, uh, demons might show up as backup ... no ... sounds good, we'll meet you ... yeah a hardware store..."

Lauren takes out her cell phone as they walk on the sidewalk the concrete overpass. Traffic roars underneath them.

"I got it," Claire says quietly, taking the phone and searching for a hardware store, her fingers interlaced in the others' hands.

Suddenly, Lauren freezes. "Don't look," she orders sharply, her eyes darting across the scene. The drab, flat concrete overpass has morphed into an antique, arched bridge of mortared, rough-cut stone. Below, black water rushes against deadly rock where the highway used to be. The end of the bridge disappears into rolling grass hills. The light is dim and overcast.

"Back up slowly." Sam steps one foot carefully behind him, keeping his gaze blankly fixed into the distance, seeing but taking in nothing. Light ripples behinds him. He takes another step, holding Claire's hand tightly. Claire keeps her gaze fixed on Lauren's cell phone and steps one foot back, matching Sam.

They move backwards through the wall of light and emerge into the steady morning sunlight. The broad, mundane overpass with cars speeding past and other pedestrians walking.

Lauren's hand feels clammy in Claire's grip.

"What was-" Claire breaks off, watching Lauren's tense face as she scans the sky.

"Run!" Lauren dashes down the sidewalk, Claire and Sam running beside her.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Outside of an Office in a Police Station_

Ruiz opens the door of the office. Anderson is leaning against the wall, looking at messages on his cell phone. When the door opens, he glances up and says in a high-pitched voice, "She's in the break room on the phone." He hands her a large purse shaped like a small messenger bag. "Stopped by your desk."

Thanks," Ramirez whispers hoarsely. The two police officers walk past each other like nothing happened.

 **Flint, MI**

 _Outside of a High School_

The heavy doors slam open. Two teenagers run up to a third teen in front of the school; they're theater kids from the high school musical. An elderly woman dressed in purple and white robes waits inside an old pickup truck parked by the curb. Marie holds a small wheeled suitcase in one hand and carries a heavy backpack, ready to step into the truck.

"This is it Maeve!" Marie clutches her cell phone in her other hand. The young women huddle close to each other as they stare at the text message.

Chuck Shurley

It's time. I asked Sharon to take you. She's driving a red toyota pickup. Please go with her.

"I know. I know ... but it's a little crazy." Maeve says repressively, looking up at her friend in concern.

"I know. But ... I have to do this, no matter how crazy," Marie says boldly. She flings her arms around Maeve.

"Come back safe," Maeve says quietly to her.

Marie hugs Maggie.

"Good luck." Maggie lets go reluctantly and looks Maeve in the eyes. "If you don't come back, I'm taking over the summer production and we're doing Footloose."

"I will, I promise I'll come back," Marie smiles cheerfully before she turns and bounces over to the beat-up truck.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Break Room in a Police Station  
_

Jody stands in the small kitchen with her back to the counter, looking worriedly down at her cell phone. She slips it into a pocket as Detective Ruiz enters.

Ruiz flicks her hand in a beckoning gesture. Jody follows her down the long hallway.

"Listen, my friends came back into town to help. Sam suggested picking up a flame weeder or propane torch at a hardware store. They might have gotten into trouble." Ruiz nods shallowly in acknowledgement. Jody would have missed the movement if she wasn't watching Ruiz closely. "His cell phone cut out. He's not picking up."

"Winchester?" Ruiz asks without emotion.

"Yeah," Jody answers.

Ruiz heaves a sigh that turns into rasping coughs. She stops, placing one hand on the wall to hold herself up.

Jody looks at her. "That-"

"Chem lab," Ruiz interrupts curtly. "This morning."

"Right." Jody flashes Ruiz a wary look.

"Hardware store. After." Ruiz gestures jerkily at a restroom.

Jody moves to wait next to a bulletin board.

Inside the restroom, Ruiz digs into her bag, shakily opening a small glass container of ointment and rubs some under her nose. She takes out a different jar and wipes the ointment on her finger. Walking outside, she gestures again at Jody.

As Jody heads out, Ruiz takes Jody's hand, smearing the ointment on Mills' palm. "Skin contact," Ruiz says.

Jody stops herself from pulling away, giving Ruiz another wary look. No one appears to notice as they walk across the lobby holding hands.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _E 14th St and Chicago Ave S_

Lauren weaves and strikes frantically near a multi-colored curbside flowerbed, chained by her right arm and Claire's left. She slaps one golden ball of light onto the sidewalk, stunning it. Sam and Claire dodge another fast-moving tinkerbell whizzing through the air like a super ball. Lauren's left hand snaps out. The glowing fairy quivers in the cage of her hand.

 _Thump._

The fairy explodes like an over blown balloon. Black goo drips from Lauren's fist. She stoops and snatches the quiescent ball of light from the ground.

Sam glances around calmly. The street is momentarily empty of pedestrians. Loud hip hop blasts from the single car stopped at the traffic light; the oblivious driver nods her head, staring straight ahead. Sam takes a slim black device out of his messenger bag and walks down the line of cars parked by the curb. As they pass by, the locks on a BMW shuffle open audibly. Sam smoothly pulls open the driver side door.

"Get inside," he orders tersely, glancing around for more threats. Lauren shifts the seat back and steps lightly into the vehicle, moving into the passenger side seat while keeping hold of Claire's hand. Claire grimaces as she clambers in with her duffel bag and squeezes next to Lauren. Sam folds himself into the car before slamming the door firmly shut, looking up at a fast-moving gold streak flying overhead.

Claire carefully shifts her grip to Sam's wrist, keeping skin contact. Sam adjusts the seat and mirrors and pulls the car onto the street. He brakes suddenly as Lauren screams at the tinkerbell. The inside of the car rattles with angelic voice. Claire hunches down, trying to cover her ears with her hands tangled. The car behind them honks and swerves around them.

Lauren glares at the ball of light, squeezing it in her outstretched hand. Her eyes flare blue as black ichor mottles the brightness in her fist. "WAKE! I SEE YOU. YOU CANNOT HIDE." The ball of light shrieks and quivers. "Tell me. How many? Describe their form. Which side...?"

 _Thump._ The fairy explodes.

Lauren sits back, crammed against the passenger side door. "I... Ew."

Claire stares at Lauren while she reaches their joined hands into the large duffel bag on her lap. She takes out a small facecloth and offers it to Lauren.

"Thanks." Lauren wipes her hand with the cloth. "It's bad. Elves."

Claire shifts uncomfortably in the shared car seat. "What's with elves?"

Lauren pauses. "It's these elves. They're stealing souls and they're mean. Purah doesn't like the odds. She says the most expedient course of action is for Asariel to level the city."

Sam sputters disbelievingly at the suggestion, "Minneapolis has four hundred thousand people!"

Lauren looks up at Sam with big eyes. "It's- Four million in the area. If she does it. Their souls would be safe."

"No!" he yells. Sam takes a deep breath, then releases it, looking even more exhausted. "We'll find another way. What else did the fairy tell you?"

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Gardner Hardware Store_

The clatter of claws against a window draw's Jody's attention.

A crow perches awkwardly at the shallow second-story windowsill of the hardware store. The floor of the store is oddly quiet and Jody and Ruiz are the only visible customers.

Detective Ruiz looks over a propane torch, spins the gas release knob and triggers it. The flame starts burning immediately. "This one," she rasps.

"Yeah," Jody takes a look back at the torches. She crouches to reach the bottom shelf and takes a similar style of torch and flicks it on, then off.

Ruiz puts the torch back on a shelf and takes out a small glass jar of ointment out of her shirt pocket. "Nice," the detective says. "Having the store close by the station." She draws out her words hoarsely. Rising up as if blocking the view of a person behind her, she dips a finger into the jar and wipes a glob of the pungent-smelling ointment between Jody's eyebrows.

The redcap appears at the end of the aisle, watching the two officers. Jody keeps her face impassive.

Ruiz slips the jar into her shirt pocket and turns. She walks down the aisle and Jody follows her.

Their footsteps are silent.

The redcap grins sadistically as they approach. Lowering his spear, his fixes his eyes on Jody. The point of the spear brushes Ruiz' sleeve as she walks by. Jody dodges before he strikes, her back slamming against the shelves, tools swinging silently on their hooks. Ruiz spins and grabs the hat from the redcap's head, backing away and clicks the propane torch on; the flame licks over the cap.

Jody tackles the redcap onto the floor. They thrash, slamming into the shelves and kicking boxes. Tools fall from the shelves and hit the grappling figures in silence.

Ruiz works the flame over the cap. The smoke and the smell of burning wool triggers another a coughing fit. Her mouth gapes opens in silent gasps. The detective doubles over and falls onto her side, holding onto the torch and the redcap's hat. The flame of her torch jerks and wavers as she falls, then steadies as she plays the flame of the torch methodically over the hat.

The redcap screams. Sounds come back into the room: Ruiz's gasping cough and the clatter of tools as Jody disentangles herself from the body and stands. The redcap lies still. The body looks shriveled and desiccated. Black ichor drips from the fairy's mouth.

A smoke alarm rings. The lights dim and sprinklers turn on. Water drizzles over the scene.

"Ruiz," Jody yells. She scrambles to crouch by the detective and offers an arm to lift her up. Ruiz coughs and shuts off the torch. She staggers upright with Jody's arm under her shoulders.

Suddenly, Crowley and two demons dressed in suits appear by the end-cap of the aisle.

"Roderick?" Jody looks stunned.

Crowley fastidiously grimaces at the water dripping on his suit. "Get the water and the security cameras," he bellows over the noise. He snaps his fingers and the demons disappear. "You've taken care of the redcap?"

"Yeah," Jody yells at him.

"Just in time for cleanup," Crowley grumbles, almost inaudible under the repetitive shrieks of the fire alarm.

"What are you doing here?" Jody yells.

"Saving your hide," Crowley bellows back.

The fire alarm stops ringing but the sprinklers keep spraying water. Crowley glares up at the ceiling and the sprinklers turn off. "Finally! Bloody useless demons," he complains perversely.

"Why?" Jody asks, still stunned.

Crowley gives her a look. "Didn't want the boys venturing out of their hidey-hole to save you ... not that you needed rescuing. Last time around, they manage to destroy the entire world."

"...How are they gonna do that?" Jody asks.

"No idea. Bloody time travel. Apparently, it's happened more than once, which explains the-" A demon reappears, interrupting Crowley. "Right, you're in charge of cleanup. Do what these two tell you and report back to me as soon as it's over." Crowley waves at Jody and Ruiz, then snaps his fingers and disappears.

The demon puffs up his chest. "Ma'am," he says stiffly.

Jody and Ruiz stare.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Outside Gardner Hardware Store_

Sam pulls the car over by the side of the street across from the four-story brick building. A small crowd of people mill around outside. They look up. On the roof, the curved line of a golden shape writhes above the eye-line to the roof.

Lauren stares up at the shape. "It's not paying attention to us."

"What is it?" Claire asks.

"A fairy dragon. I don't sense malevolent intent from it," Lauren says solemnly.

"What's going on with them?" Claire asks, looking at the people on the sidewalk.

"Dunno. Let's go find out." Sam tears his eyes from the undulating shape on the roof and unfolds himself out of the car. He holds still for Claire as she crawls out with her duffel bag and Lauren. They look around and jog across the street, Lauren's eyes on the dragon. "Hey, what's going on here?" he asks a friendly-looking young woman as they step onto the curb.

"The fire alarm and sprinklers went off-"

Through the glass windows, Lauren sees Jody and Ruiz stagger slowly towards the door. She hastily yanks open the door with a harsh clang of the door hitting its stopper. Her eyes flick upward nervously.

"Jody!" Sam pulls the three of them into the store and steadies Ruiz' slight body with one arm.

"Smoke inhalation," Jody explains tersely.

Lauren shrinks back, yanking on Claire's arm. Behind Jody, the first demon carries a black tarp wrapped around a body-sized bundle. He waits patiently behind Jody from about ten feet away.

The second demon walks towards them between the aisles.

"Backup," Jody says with a flick of her eyes at the demons.

Sam eyes the demons warily. "Yeah." He meets Jody's eyes; she notices his expression. "Wh-"

An overweight man in a dress shirt rushes over to them from the back of the store, calling out, "Sorry, folks, you can't be ... officer?" He catches sight of Ruiz' uniform.

"Sheriff Mills." Jody flashes her badge at the store manager. Her solid presence cools down the store manager.

Out of the blue, Lauren screams girlishly and smashes into Sam's back, knocking them halfway down an aisle, dragging Claire and Ruiz. Sam tucks Ruiz's body into his own, softening the hard fall. Jody spins, knocked off balance and falls to the floor.

 _Boom._

The shifting, unstable form of the dragon lands on the street, the wings pass through the building and the people outside like a golden shadow descending.

The pressure of the wings churning the air is an immense, blasting roar. Jody curls up instinctively; the wind pummels her and the three on the floor. The line of the wing passes through Jody and the store manager. The store manager and the demons stare, baffled, at Jody and the others, looking puzzled by their reaction.

The wing withdraws and folds by the side of the dragon's body, its massive bulk filling the visible space of the windows in the storefront. Bright lights dislodge from the bodies of the unseeing, unhearing people outside. The dragon makes a sharp cry. The souls float into the air and drift down the street towards the head of the dragon.

Lauren lets go of Claire's hand and sprints forward, inhumanly fast. "No-no-no-" she mutters, grabbing the light of the souls in each hand, she runs back to Jody and the store manager. Holding her right fist up to Jody's mouth, she opens her hand and the light hops into Jody's mouth. Holding her left hand up to the store manager's mouth, his soul jumps from her hand back into his body.

The dragon's tail whips left into the storefront across the street, passing through the building. Its long tail languorously swings out and then whips right, coming directly at the hardware store.

"Down!" Jody bellows the order and dives hard, hitting the floor and skidding deeper into the store. The demons fling themselves to the ground obediently. Lauren sprints away from the tail and tucks into a roll.

The store manager remains standing, confused. The fairy dragon's tail passes through the building, swings above Jody and the demons, and passes through the body of the store manager. His soul dislodges, darts towards the door, bounces against the glass, then slips through the space between the double doors and outside.

Lauren pushes herself up from the floor and sprints, reaching for the soul. Eyes fixed on the soul, her hand smashes open the double doors too quickly for them to open. The doors tear from their hinges, falling askew. She staggers through them and keeps running, knocking over a soulless man standing outside. Her fingers brush the store manager's soul.

The dragon makes a second sharp, piercing cry.

The store manager's soul darts faster, further out of her reach and races into the open mouth of the dragon. Across the street, clusters of bright souls drift outside and fly towards the dragon's mouth.

Lauren draws her angel blade.

The traffic light changes.

Sam looks up from the middle of the aisle. "Lauren!" He starts to untangle himself from Ruiz and Claire. Jody stands up and takes in the scene with a grim look.

A line of cars and SUVs roar down the street. As they pass through the dragon's body, souls drift out of the bodies inside and bounce brightly inside.

The dragon calls a third time. The light of the free floating souls slip out of the vehicles and gather towards the dragon's open mouth.

The store manager bellows angrily, "What the hell are you people-?"

Outside, Lauren leaps onto a moving car, then springs into the body of the dragon, her angel blade cutting into the fairy dragon's shifting wing, simultaneously tangible and intangible. The dragon turns and lashes its tail at Lauren, who dodges it easily. Her body is a blur, moving too quickly for the human eye to see clearly.

The silver of her blade flashes brightly overhead. Lauren runs on the ground below and somehow inside the body of the dragon; the angel blade carves invisible wounds; golden blood falls through the vehicles and spills on the street. Cars scream to a halt; someone honks loudly and angrily. With a horrific crunch, an SUV smashes into the end of the line of cars, bumps the last car forward; it barrels into the car in front, which bounces off the fourth car.

A soulless customer standing on the sidewalk, points and laughs at the accident a few feet away from him. Others of the soulless people scream and keep screaming, or jump back and run away from the scene, or hastily walk away. A teenager pulls out her cell phone and starts to take a video.

Inside the store, the store manager continues to rant angrily, "-doing!? Good God! Goddamn freak customers all have to come in at the same friggin time! Why the hell does this happen on my shift! You-!" He gestures angrily at Jody.

Claire grabs Sam's hand and tries to pull Ruiz up, but the woman is barely conscious.

Sam yells urgently, "Jody, those lights are their souls!" Sam draws his gun from the back of his pants.

Jody bellows back at Sam, "Hold your horses!" She grabs the manager by the wrist, then in one easy movement, pulls him to the ground and pins him to the floor with one hand on the small of his back. The man's breath rushes out as he falls and he lies stunned and quiescent. "Oliver, get over here and keep a hold of him-"

The demon that was carrying the redcap's body in a tarp scrambles to help Jody. "That's right, hold him down, just like that." Jody pulls handcuffs out of her pocket and snaps them on the manager.

Sam shoves his pistol back in his waistband and lifts Ruiz with one arm.

Lauren's small body flies into the air above the first floor windows and out of sight. The dragon rears. Its wings spread out into the building once and the rush of wind from the sudden movement pummels them again. Jody, Sam, and Claire crouch and brace themselves against the sudden battering wind.

The dragon takes off. Drops of golden blood fall through the cars and onto the street with a light patter.

"Right!" Jody shouts from her crouch, her voice is overly loud in the sudden silence. "Anton, pin him. Stay calm and keep him calm. Oliver, you're with me."

Anton scuttles to help Jody, taking her place by the store manager's side. Jody and Oliver stop at the door, pulling it free and propping it up against the frame.

In a loud, slow voice, Jody calms the crowd. "Back inside, folks, step away from the accident." She places a hand on the shoulder of a screaming woman. "It's ok, ma'am, no need to be concerned. Back inside the store and sit down."

The woman looks confused, then stops screaming and passively walks inside the store.

"Everyone inside," Jody orders authoritatively, spreading her body wide and standing in a police officer's wide, solid stance. She takes out her badge and pins it to her shirt.

"Right here, ma'am," Sam says, pointing at the floor next to Anton and the store manager. The woman sits down passively. Sam lowers Ruiz to the ground.

"Claire, let go." Claire looks up at Sam. "Let go of my hand," Sam repeats steadily. "Stay here with the officer, and keep everyone calm, okay?"

"Yeah." Claire stares into Sam's eyes, then lets go of his hand and sits down on the floor next to Ruiz.

Jody glances up at the sky. Lauren and the dragon are gone. "Get to the intersection and redirect traffic," Jody orders Oliver. She walks into the street, her eyes on the sky. "Sam."

Sam joins her, looking up into the blue sky.

"Everyone out," Jody waves her arms in a beckoning motion repetitively, "We'll need witness statements," she says loudly and authoritatively.

Jody hits a number on her phone, then hands it to Sam. She steps over to the cars in the accident. The drivers and passengers shakily start to get out of their cars.

"There's a four-car accident in front of Gardner's Hardware Store, on North Washington between 5th and 6th-" Sam walks down the street heading to the other intersection.

Inside the store, Claire stares uneasily at the growing crowd of soulless people.

 **Minneapolis, MN**

 _Near the Mississippi River_

Lauren runs the edge of a concrete rooftop and jumps. Below, the sun reflects painfully off the water of the Mississippi River. The golden dragon snaps at her heels as she spins through the air over a wide city street, lands on the next rooftop and rolls to her feet in a flat run. She speeds over the concrete then dives onto the ground four stories below. A biker on the riverside path skids to a stop and stares at the angelic vessel's death-defying fall. She rolls on the grass and falls over a twenty-foot concrete flood embankment. The dragon dives after her, wings spread as she runs towards the river.

The dragon's mouth opens. At the last moment, she twists and jumps inside its mouth. The silver of her angel blade glints as she dives between the jagged teeth and tucks her slight body inside. The dragon screams in pain.

The biker looks on in shock as an immense golden dragon appears in midair. It's roaring shriek makes him cover his ears. The dragon pulls up and heads into the sky, then slowly disappears into a wall of shimmering light. Before it vanishes completely, Lauren's limp body falls out of the belly of the dragon; bright soul lights spill out with her. The cluster of souls speed away, inland.

She plummets into the river. The dark water closes over her head. Golden blood forms a slick on the surface of the water.

"Good Lord!" The man gets off his bike and places it on the ground. He takes off his helmet, drops it by his bike and runs to the edge of the river. At the edge he yanks off his shoes; his eyes scan the river for Lauren's body. He can't see her. After long moments, he dives in with a splash, swimming to the gold slick.

 **Notes:**

Thanks to the wonderful Starlit Night 67, ladymarvel87, Kim Wit, MehEds, Carmarie, and TheDoctorWatchesHetalia for beta of Chapter 3.


End file.
